Fixing requires readers support their preferred news outlets with subscriptions. Currently headlines need to drive the ad machine if the lights are going to stay on. Challenging the ad buyer’s main revenue stream is not financially viable. It’s the main reason news outlets do not want to touch Medicare For All, pharmaceutical ads are big money makers. Money in politics is a no-go because it’s a guaranteed cash infusion every two years, not to mention the overlap with other ad buyers. Decoupling the ads from the main revenue gives media outlets the freedom they need to address the news as they seem fit.
This is definitely a factor although advertising alongside subscriptions for news print was a thing for at least 100-130 years. So I don’t know if subscriptions are enough.
Too, better journalism requires news media oligopolies to be dismantled and to have more independently owned news media companies.
Fixing requires readers support their preferred news outlets with subscriptions. Currently headlines need to drive the ad machine if the lights are going to stay on. Challenging the ad buyer’s main revenue stream is not financially viable. It’s the main reason news outlets do not want to touch Medicare For All, pharmaceutical ads are big money makers. Money in politics is a no-go because it’s a guaranteed cash infusion every two years, not to mention the overlap with other ad buyers. Decoupling the ads from the main revenue gives media outlets the freedom they need to address the news as they seem fit.
This is definitely a factor although advertising alongside subscriptions for news print was a thing for at least 100-130 years. So I don’t know if subscriptions are enough.
Too, better journalism requires news media oligopolies to be dismantled and to have more independently owned news media companies.