How you can save journalism
Strike a blow for freedom!
By Christopher B. Daly
In these hard times for the news business, it is more important than ever for Americans who care about press freedom and about real news to take concrete steps to strengthen the institutions of the free press.
At present, journalism is under attack. A president-elect actively denounces the press. A political movement denigrates the “mainstream media” and coaches its supporters to despise and distrust it. People of bad faith pollute the news stream with “fake news,” seeking profits or political advantage.
In my study of the history of journalism, I cannot identify a period when news-gathering was under such assault from so many directions at the same time. If you care, do something.
One category of action is to donate. This is easy but effective. To make it even easier, I have compiled a list of two kinds of donations you might want to make to strengthen journalism. First is a list of institutions that actively seek to strengthen press freedom, through legislation, through litigation, or by sticking up for journalists. These are front-line organizations that actually make a difference. The second group are news organizations that engage in original news reporting. They all need digital subscribers. The money they get from digital subscriptions is their lifeline; it supports and sustains every reporter, photographer, videographer and other member of the truth-seeking enterprise.
These subscriptions also make nice gifts — especially for young folks (who would not be caught dead with anything printed!)
Thanks for caring.
Institutions:
Committee to Protect Journalists
Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press
New England First Amendment Coalition
National Press Photographers Assn
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Subscriptions:
P.S. If you know of other worthy organizations, please leave a comment.
