WHAT JOURNALISTS SHOULD DO

by Surly

To solve the problem of media consolidation and the control over news operations I implore journalists to quit their jobs at all privately owned institutions and form open, public, nonprofit organizations to gather news. That way, you won't be coerced into loyalties that conflict with journalistic ethics. And your news gathering should be more fair, ethical and efficient. I'm sure you have the talents among you to do it. I don't think that news should be a profit-making entity; it's a public service. Since the founding of this country the press has been considered the "Fourth Estate", a necessary public function for a working democracy. Private interests will distort and have distorted it now and in the past. It's time for this to change.

I'm not implying that you should give away your efforts, although some of you should expect pay cuts at first. News gathering costs a lot of money. You would be able to charge for advertising and subscriptions or solicit donations to support your efforts and to pay your reporters and staff a fair living wage.

If you can persuade enough of your colleagues to quit big media employment, you could stop cold the control of news by private interests. That would also stop much government influence. Journalism deserves to be independent, ethical, open.