'Journalism is changing. The twentieth-century business model for newspapers was based on advertising and subscriptions. Now, tech companies are taking the lion’s share of media advertising revenue, and audiences are getting their news for free online. Many newspaper companies have collapsed or consolidated, newspapers have closed, journalists have lost their jobs and some communities have become 'news deserts'. At the same time, independent newspapers, magazines and websites are starting to make a big impact in their communities and around the world. They are driving civic engagement and accountability and giving a voice to people who were previously voiceless...
There are big challenges ahead. We believe that an exciting part of the future of public interest journalism lies in the independent sector. Now, we need to build support for that vision, so that, in turn, we can support independent publishers and their audiences.'
This is an extract from an article originally published by the NUJ on 13/03/20. Read the full piece on the NUJ website, here.