Owen Higgins

Jessica González, Free Press director, joins journalists Karen Attiah, Ben Smith, Rania Khalek, Owen Higgins, and comedian John Oliver to examine a two-front assault on independent media. They explore FCC pressure on broadcasters, congressional subpoenas, billionaire ownership, attacks on public broadcasting, newsroom retaliation, and worker-owned alternatives. A sharp look at how political power and corporate consolidation reshape journalism.

Owen Higgins, a journalist and author of "Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left," delves into the profound impact of tech billionaires on media and public discourse. He discusses the rise of platforms like Substack as alternative journalism havens and the challenge of monetizing creativity in an evolving landscape. Higgins highlights the dangers posed by wealthy influencers to free speech and the evolving definitions of news, raising critical questions about journalistic ethics in a decentralized media world.