About

Journalism is a public good. As a society, we benefit from the production and dissemination of quality news and information. As with many public goods, laws and policy have always shaped the practice of journalism in America. Journalism is so vital to the functioning of our democracy that our founders enshrined its protection in the First Amendment.

However, the core institutions and systems that have supported journalism in America for decades are facing an array of challenges that threaten the free flow of information. And while a new generation of news and journalism organizations is driving a renaissance in local reporting, the media policies that affect everything we watch, read and hear – many of which were made in our name but without our consent – are sorely out of date.

If current trends continue, America could soon embark on an unprecedented social experiment by becoming the first advanced democracy to leave wide sectors of society and entire geographic regions without a fully functional, professional press. We are venturing into uncharted territory.

We must address the bad policies that have encouraged media companies to gut newsrooms and abandon serious newsgathering; we must establish new policies that could foster a new era in journalism; and we must start now.

We need to explore how better policies can best support the future of investigative journalism, beat reporting and quality news in America. This is not about newspapers, it is about newsrooms. It is not about protecting old institutions or shoring up outmoded business models; it is about serving local communities.

The future of journalism will likely consist of diverse models, and we recognize the need for experimentation and innovation, now and in the future. No single policy option will single-handedly secure a bright future for American journalism. We need a menu of policies, adaptable to changing social and economic realities.

For too long, citizens have not had a voice in shaping media and media policy. We need to begin a truly public conversation about what the future of journalism should look like and point policymakers and regulators toward an agenda that will save the news and serve the public good.