Search Engine How do we survive the media apocalypse?
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Mar 15, 2024 
Ezra Klein, host of The Ezra Klein Show and columnist at The New York Times, dives into the unsettling transformation of the media landscape. He discusses the alarming layoffs affecting news outlets and its impact on access to quality information. Klein emphasizes the need to shift from passive consumption to active engagement, urging listeners to consider their role in shaping media through informed choices. The conversation highlights the balance between profitability and journalistic integrity, offering insights into the future of trustworthy journalism in a digital world.
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Monopoly's Upside
- Local monopolies in news, while problematic, had a benefit: inefficient cross-subsidization.
- This allowed profitable areas like movie listings to fund important but costly ventures like war reporting.
Competition's Downside
- Competition in the news industry, while typically seen as positive, disrupted this cross-subsidization model.
- The most important news is often the least profitable, requiring support from other areas.
Vox's Early Optimism
- Ezra Klein recounts the optimism during Vox's founding, believing digital scale would bring ad revenue.
- Platforms like Google and Facebook ultimately captured the audience and ad dollars, not the news outlets.