Opinion

Non-profits beat government subsidy of news

Jason Stverak President, Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
Font Size:

Every day, more and more newspapers are forced to shut their doors, leaving communities around the nation at a loss for quality news coverage. Many have suggested that government subsidies are the solution, but government intervention will create greater problems than the struggling newspaper business is currently enduring.

This is especially true when better alternatives already exist from non-profits.

We all know that the government can be tremendously helpful to the American people. But when that help would do more harm than good, as in proposed subsidy of the newspaper business, America must say No!

Yes, newspapers need help. Yes, their recent decline puts our republic at risk. However, throwing government subsidies will not save them. In fact, expanded government influence on journalism would be disastrous to the reputation and credibility of journalists.

If government subsidizes news, journalists no longer will be able to report credibly on stories that matter to the people, but ultimately only on what matters to officials. Journalists will ignore scandal and corruption for fear of losing government funds. They will become political flacks and write to appease government instead of investigating it.

The only way for newspapers to flourish in difficult times is to accept that they must move news practices into the 21st century and integrate work of non-profit journalism organizations. These provide journalists from all over the nation opportunity to investigate and report on stories that matter. Through technology and the Internet, non-profit journalists gain potential to extend audience reach and create new communities of readers.

A unique and beneficial aspect of non-profit journalism is allowing – even encouraging — traditional media to use content for free. This provides news consumers with investigative journalism at no cost to publishers. Newspapers can run stories they no longer have staff or money to cover.  In addition to private financial benefit, there is the public benefit of giving readers important stories.

These days breaking national news no longer requires a press badge or credentials.

In November, millions of Americans learned of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity when Jim Scarantino, New Mexico Watchdog at the Rio Grande Foundation, broke the “Phantom Congressional Districts” stimulus story. He was the first to find that recovery.gov listed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act jobs created in congressional districts that do not exist. That led to discovery of more than 440 phantom districts nationwide and hearings on Capitol Hill. A wide array of traditional and 21st Century media picked up the story. The Colbert Report even refashioned its popular “Better Know a District” into a new segment, “Know Your Made-Up District.” This is just one example of non-profit journalist breaking big stories.

Throwing subsidies at newspapers is only a short-term fix, at best, that would compromise the news industry and do irreparable harm. The reanimation of journalism arises in new online news ventures, not government intervention.

Jason Stverak is President of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a leading journalism non-profit organization. The Franklin Center is dedicated to providing reporters, citizens and non-profit organizations at the state and local level with training, expertise and technical support. For more information on the Franklin Center please visit www.FranklinCenterHQ.org.