What’s Really Killing the News Media? w/ Victor Pickard
Feb 1, 2024
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Victor Pickard, Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy, joins the show to discuss the crisis in news media and the need for structural alternatives. Topics include the decline of local newspapers, the negative effects of commercialization, the influence of libertarian ideas on media, and the impact of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. They also explore challenges for independent publications and the importance of reinvesting in public infrastructure for journalism and democracy.
The decline of local newspapers leads to decreased civic engagement, lower voter turnout, and increased levels of corruption and extremism.
The commercial model of the media industry has resulted in declining news quality, consolidation of media ownership, and decreasing trust in the media.
Structural alternatives such as public funding and public media are essential in delivering well-funded journalism, holding power accountable, and providing quality local news coverage.
Deep dives
The Crisis of Local Newspapers and its Consequences
The loss of local newspapers has detrimental effects on local communities, leading to decreased civic engagement, lower voter turnout, and increased levels of corruption and extremism. The data clearly shows that the decline of local newspapers is a significant problem that needs to be addressed.
The Commercial Model's Role in the Media Crisis
The commercial model of the media industry, particularly in the United States, has contributed to the structural crisis in news and journalism. Over-reliance on advertising revenue and the intense commercialization of the media have resulted in declining quality of news, consolidation of media ownership, and decreasing trust in the media.
The Need for Structural Alternatives and Public Media
To effectively address the crisis in news media, it is essential to consider structural alternatives to the failing commercial model. Public funding and public media are crucial in delivering news as a public service and ensuring well-funded journalism for holding power accountable, protecting democratic systems, and providing quality local news coverage.
The Erosion of Local Journalism
The podcast discusses the erosion of local journalism and its impacts on communities. The guest speaker shares their personal experience with their local newspaper, which had drastically diminished in size and content. They express concern about the loss of journalists' jobs and the decrease in journalism overall, which leads to news deserts in many communities. The lack of local news coverage leaves room for propagandistic outlets and the rise of right-wing extremism. The decline of local journalism poses a significant challenge to democracy and calls for structural alternatives to the hyper-capitalistic media system.
The Role of Journalism in Democracy
The podcast explores the broader societal and political ramifications of the erosion of journalism for democracy. The guest speaker highlights how the erosion creates fertile ground for fascism and emphasizes the importance of local reporters covering essential issues. They discuss the positive externalities of community information needs and the role of journalists in bearing witness to events, particularly for vulnerable communities. The absence of journalism threatens the health of democracy and reinforces the need to invest in public media systems that are not reliant on profit imperatives, but rather focused on serving democracy and ensuring access to news and information for all members of society.
Paris Marx is joined by Victor Pickard to discuss the continued layoffs in news media, and how they are symptomatic of a deeper, structural crisis in journalism.
Victor Pickard is Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at University of Pennsylvania. He’s also the author of Democracy Without Journalism?: Confronting the Misinformation Society.
Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.
The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation and produced by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.
