How do we get free news?
Ethical consumerism, quality journalism and today’s news business models. Positive resolutions aren’t just for the New Year.
Consumerism and convenience turn lots of us into hypocrites. I consume a lot of news, mostly online and I know fully well that there is no such thing as a free lunch: most platforms use advertising to build a sustainable business model. I’m not a friend of paywalls, so it’s great that that works for them and I use them, but I do think some smaller outlets deserve some support to survive.
I worry about the future of journalism and I’m not talking about fake news. I’m talking about journalists having the time to understand something properly and writing something that’s worth reading. I’m talking about journalists having the independence to speak truth to power. I’m also talking about local news and niche commentary! They are all important for functioning civil societies.
I read plenty of mainstream media and industry news, too. Blogs, social media and all of that, as well — but I feel I’m already paying them with my data, my attention time or in some cases through tax.
So, at the end of 2018, I want to put my money where my mouth is by supporting some of the independent news outfits, who have been supporting me by letting me access their journalistic content without a paywall. I’m donating, joining and subscribing, depending on how I use them.
Shout-out to a few of them, who’ve helped to balance out my mainstream news intake, I’m also including some organisations who I see as protecting free speech, quality journalism and new business models:
Open Democracy, who are crowdfunding for journalistic investigations. TAZ zahl ich, who are allowing readers to donate per article or as one-off donations, while giving anyone who wants free access. Etc, Folkets presstöd, for taking advantage of new payment methods, for going daily when everyone else was closing local newspapers and for expanding on the The Guardian’s membership idea (or did Etc have it before?). 99 percent invisible, part of radiotopia, who are just awesome podcasters and a credit to slow journalism. EFF and Index on Censorship for protecting us from complacency and civil.co for investing in innovative business models, by using blockchain for news publishing.
