US: Financing journalism, 100 years ago they had the right idea

Posted by Lauren Drablier on October 16, 2008 at 9:03 AM

At a National Press Club Centennial Forum in Atlanta, journalists spoke about the future of journalism, online news and newspapers. Many see the future of journalism in niche products supported by corporate sponsorships and interest groups by public broadcasting-style memberships.

According to Cynthia Tucker, editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, if news organizations want to continue funding public interest reporting they will have to change their models.

According to Market Watch the news industry may be reverting back to a hundred-year-old business model, "A century ago, people could pick their newspapers according to their political beliefs or their demographics, and journalism may be returning to that model."

Tom Baxter, editor of the Internet-based Southern Political Report and senior vice president of its parent company, Insider Advantage, believes that the Internet will serve more niche audiences that will pay for news, "but what will be lost is the investigative reporting that major metropolitan newspapers do."

'The public will miss that the most," he said.

Sources: Market Watch