How Can We Find the Truth?
This week Vice Media laid off hundreds of its employees. It's the latest incident in a very rough period for media. The combination of private equity mismanagement and major technological and revenue shifts have altered the entire field of journalism. Media feels more precarious today than any other time I can remember.
The growing implosion of journalism is especially disheartening given the political climate we're in. I can't imagine a worse time to have a weak fourth estate.
Of course, that timing is not coincidental. While the rise of authoritarianism in the United States is partly due to outdated and sclerotic political institutions, it is also a consequence of the billionaire class's capture of our political system. The owning class has little interest in a thriving public press. Their main interests in journalism are publicity and profit.
The layoffs across media are also threatening the nascent progress toward hiring racially diverse journalists in newsrooms. Thus, we're looking at a media landscape with fewer and narrower perspectives.
What can be done? Most of the issues afflicting journalism right now are structural and linked to challenges undermining media overall. But there are still ways that each of us can support good journalism and help to keep each other informed.
Pick one area of interest to focus on. Whether it's immigration, housing, the environment, or public safety, decide the area that feels most salient and then commit to staying informed. We're obviously facing multiple and interlocking crises. Trying to maintain a deep understanding across topics is unrealistic for most working Americans (and is also a recipe for anxiety and depression). Ideally, you can become the go-to person among your friends and family to let people know what they should be worried (or excited) about, and those people can complement your expertise.
Join an organization. Staying on top of what's happening can feel like a full-time job in itself though. One way I've noticed that I learn about various pressing issues is through the organizations I'm a part of. Just last week, I received an e-mail from Jews for Racial and Economic Justice about the upcoming fight over fair pay for home healthcare workers in New York. I never would have known about this issue otherwise, because it's not trending on social media or on the front page of many news sites. Joining a community organization is another way to augment your access to information. I also get lots of updates from organizations I donate to, so don't feel like joining an organization needs to be an intimidating commitment. You can also just pick organizations whose work you want to support financially if that's an option.
Elect people who can be held accountable. As journalism weakens, so will our collective ability to fact-check politicians and root out corruption. That's why it's especially important now to scrutinize the folks we are electing. As always, this work begins at the local level. Of course we all know the axiom about power and corruption. We can never fully trust the people we elect to office. But doing our due diligence and following the lead of trusted organizations is one way we can try to inoculate ourselves from a weaker press.
Support journalists. Lastly, and perhaps most obviously, we need to support the journalists doing valuable reporting. We are partly in this mess, because we've gotten accustomed to getting everything for free, or close to it. But good journalism takes time and energy. If we care about the health of our democracy, we have to be willing to pay for that. I'm personally a monthly donor to Democracy Now! I've given to Hellgate NYC and The City as well because I think good local journalism is especially valuable. I think it's probably time for me to consider at least one substack to pay for to put my money where my mouth is. Radley Balko is one journalist I consistently consume via substack and I always learn a lot about the state of the criminal legal system. If you're not in a position to give money you can use social media to boost stories that you think are important and well-written. Pass these along via dms and e-mail too. In fact, I'd love to hear which journalists and platforms you're a fan of. So let me know who you think I be following whether it's a publication like Defector or a podcast, substack, etc.
Other Recommendations for Reading/Listening/Watching
"For New York, Israel-Palestine is a local issue" by Audrey Sasson