Nonprofit journalism

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A panel of reporters discuss politics at a 2020 event hosted by the nonprofit news organization The Texas Tribune

Nonprofit journalism or philanthrojournalism is the practice of

public interest journalism like investigative reporting
amidst the decline in revenue for for-profit journalism. Transparency and diversified funding streams have been put forward as best-practices for these types of organizations. Journalism done at a nonprofit organization should be evaluated just as critically as journalism from for-profit or other outlets.

Terminology

The term philanthrojournalism has appeared in British sources and emphasizes the role of foundations.[1][2][3][4][5] Public service media is a related term that has referred to organizations that receive government funding, starting with radio in the 1920s,[6] and projects like Wikipedia.[7]

American nonprofit journalism organizations have also been described under the banner of nonprofit news.[8] Foundation-funded journalism and think tank journalism are less common terms.[9]

History

Although nonprofit journalism dates back to the start of the

Pulitzer prizes within a few years of its founding.[10]

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the PBS NewsHour
public television show

The number of nonprofit investigative reporting centers has grown from only three in the late 1980s to dozens in the 2020s, with centers originating in countries such as Romania, the Philippines, Jordan, and South Africa. Four global conferences on investigative journalism since 2000 have attracted some 2,000 journalists from more than 50 countries.[11] There have been many initiatives to increase transparency and accountability in funding to improve editorial independence. For example, the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), formed in 2009, is a network of hundreds of nonprofit news organizations that must meet their journalistic standards.[12][13]

The proliferation of investigative journalism centers ranges from state-oriented initiatives to local grassroots-based initiatives.[14] The state or region-based model often benefits from sustainability based on reliable funding from foundations in the same area.[15] State-oriented centers such as the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and New England Center for Investigative Reporting have garnered success and been suggested as viable alternatives to the nationwide news outlets.[16] Likewise, there are an increasing number of local-level investigative centers, in places such as Baltimore and Texas, making their narrow-focus even more relatable to local readers.[16]

Funding

The distinct business model distinguishes philanthrojournalism from other types of journalism. As mainstream media has struggled in terms of revenue, nonprofit journalists have turned increasingly to the nonprofit model.[2] A 2009 American University study revealed that foundations had contributed to approximately $128 million to community and investigative reporting nonprofits between 2005 and 2009.[17] Investigative journalism in particular has been described as being a difficult proposition for for-profit organizations, but can thrive when supported by foundations and donors.[17]

The defunct[18] Canadian Centre for Investigative Reporting (CCIR) relied heavily on individual donations, which averaged $100 to $200 and made up 30 to 50 percent of its revenue.[10] The former executive director of CCIR, Bilbo Poynter, argued that a large number of donors could also increase competition and therefore the need for credibility and transparency for both donors and the investigative centers.[10][relevant? – discuss] Many organizations, such as ProPublica, are publishing the salary of their journalists as well as the center sources of revenue on their websites.[15] Many centers, such as the Voice of San Diego, are also utilizing hybrid models of philanthropy and private sector revenue combinations.[14] The Bay Citizen, for example, bases its funds on four sources of revenue.[2] Sustainability has been an expressed concern for some.[19][20]

Impact on content

See also: Journalism ethics and standards

Mike Caulfield and

Institute for Nonprofit News, a member-driven industry network, requires full members to provide public transparency into their funding.[24]

Between May 2010 and September 2011, the

Watchdog.org, meanwhile, focused on government policies and their inefficiency and waste.[25] Examples of sites with the most balanced coverage included ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, which were also among the most visited in the sample.[25] David Westphal in 2009 expressed support for foundation-funded journalism, but worried that many of the news organizations report based on their funder’s interest areas.[26] Moreover, Robert Arnove and Nadine Pinede (2007) undertook a study on the "big three" US-based foundations – Ford, Rockefeller and Carnegie – and revealed that they play the role of unofficial planning agencies, have a very US-centric model, and utilize a very "elitist, technocratic approach to social change."[27] Likewise, Sean Stannard-Stockton, claims that in addition to maintaining the status quo, many foundations use “hard power” to “shape events by providing or withdrawing grants” thereby creating a dependence by nonprofit organizations.[27] Bob Feldman (2007) added that the processes used to gain such funding are modeled in “safe, legalistic, bureaucratic activities and mild reformism” and creates a “climate of secrecy” as the foundations domesticate their agendas.[28]

Relationship with for-profit media

Collaboration

Many organizations cooperate with for-profit media and even subsidize investigations to use their broad networks for their news stories. Most print and broadcast commercial outlets have expressed openness to collaborating with nonprofit partners, especially around investigative journalism.

investigative reporting will never become obsolete, as it increasingly competes with declining mainstream media that focuses on daily politics.[34]

Competition

Philanthrojournalism has provided an alternative business model to for-profit journalism. By mostly being digital natives with less reliance on ads, nonprofit outlets have grown a significant niche.[2]

In 2009, mainstream media faced a revenue decline of up to 25 to 30 percent.

foreign bureaus.[35] Nonprofit news outlets often hire experienced journalists who have left their mainstream media careers.[2] A PEW research study in 2010 reveals that while demand for substantive news is high, the commercial press has not been fulfilling its social responsibility role, especially in terms of investigative journalism.[25] For example, in Los Angeles news outlets, only 1.9% of a 30-minute newscast was devoted to civic affairs, and 3.3% of Los Angeles Times news reporting was devoted to local government news.[32] Moreover, readers are increasingly choosing internet-based news as a source of information over print news.[32] Nonprofits, unlike mainstream media, have tended to be greater pioneers of civic journalism, as they focus most of their news on civic affairs.[32]

Major nonprofit news outlets, such as the Center for Public Integrity, ProPublica and the Center for Investigative Reporting, have won Pulitzer Prizes, which has boosted their fundraising efforts in turn.[17][25] According to a study, many reporters felt the nonprofit funding model gives them greater freedom to choose stories based on merit and public impact rather than popularity.[36] Unlike mainstream media, which relies more on business strategies, nonprofit news outlets may not need to show their philanthropic funders an immediate return on investment.[37] Their nonprofit status also allows them to be exempted from federal taxes in the US.[38]

Many nonprofit centers receive their revenue through a total or partial combination of the following strategies: membership donations,

endowment.[39] Moreover, unlike mainstream media, which more often than not, continues to utilize print versions, most nonprofit news outlets are digital-born. They can, therefore, focus all their resources on hiring technicians or reporters with greater expertise in digital media. Many are utilizing social media, which, consequently, is increasingly bringing them closer to younger generations.[39]

Rebecca Nee (2011) argues that philanthrojournalism could become an alternative to mainstream media. Nee emphasizes the decreasing role of mainstream news media, as she cites the 2010 State of the News Media report, which claimed that circulation had dropped by one quarter since the 21st century.[40] Nee also adds that the digital revolution has fuelled an increasing number of readers to opt for online newspaper, allowing many digitally-native nonprofit investigative outlets to thrive in their area of digital expertise. Nonprofit news outlets are slightly in the lead over mainstream media in terms of digital innovation, as they can focus on their resources on doing so. Moreover, Nee argues that the narrow investigative scope of nonprofit news outlets allows them to not waste their resources on a daily journalism agenda.[41]

See also

References

  1. ^ Scott, Martin, Mel Bunce, and Kate Wright. 2019. “Foundation Funding and the Boundaries of Journalism.” Journalism Studies 20 (14): 2034–52. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2018.1556321.
  2. ^
    ISSN 0013-0613
    . Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  3. ISSN 0013-0613
    . Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  4. ^ Newton, Eric (August 8, 2011). "The future of news? Four different sources weigh in". Knight Foundation. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  5. ^ Scott, Martin (January 30, 2019). "Opinion: What's Wrong with Philanthro-Journalism?". Nieman Reports. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  6. ^ Union (EBU), European Broadcasting (2023-08-10). "Public Service Media". www.ebu.ch. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  7. ^ Zuckerman, Ethan (Fall 2019). "Building a More Honest Internet". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  8. ^ Newton, Eric (2012-03-14). "More recipes for success of nonprofit news ventures". Knight Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  9. Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity. Archived from the original
    on 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
  10. ^
    Ryerson Review of Journalism. Archived from the original
    on January 17, 2014.
  11. The Center for International Media Assistance
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  12. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  13. ^ Bauder, David (2021-11-18). "Independent websites team up to boost rural journalism". AP News. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  14. ^
    Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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  15. ^
    Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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  16. ^
    Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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  17. ^ a b c Westphal, David (July 2009). "Philanthropic Foundations: Growing Funders of the News" (PDF). Center on Communication Leadership and Policy: 3.
  18. ^ Baluja, Tamara (2013-04-30). "Canada's only non-profit investigative centre shutting down | J-Source". Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  19. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 113.
  20. ^
    doi:10.1080/1461670X.2010.501147
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  21. ISBN 978-0-226-82984-5
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  22. ^ Browne, Harry (Sep 2010). "Foundation-Funded Journalism". Journalism Studies. 11 (6): 901.
  23. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 5.
  24. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 3.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Holcomb, Jesse; et al. (18 July 2011). "Non-Profit News: Assessing a News Landscape in Journalism". Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
  26. Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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  27. ^ a b Browne, Harry (Sep 2010). "Foundation-Funded Journalism". Journalism Studies. 11 (6): 893.
  28. ^ Browne, Harry (Sep 2010). "Foundation-Funded Journalism". Journalism Studies. 11 (6): 892.
  29. The Online Journalism Review. Archived from the original
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  30. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and Dissertations: 81.
  31. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and Dissertations: 3.
  32. ^ a b c d Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 40.
  33. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 83.
  34. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study" (PDF). ProQuest LLC: 4.
  35. ^
    Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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  36. ^ Westphal, David (July 2009). "Philanthropic Foundations: Growing Funders of the News" (PDF). Center on Communication Leadership and Policy: 116.
  37. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 117.
  38. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 114.
  39. ^ a b Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 113.
  40. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 1.
  41. ^ Nee, Rebecca Coates (4 Oct 2011). "The Role of Digitally Native, Nonprofit News Media in the Future of American Journalism: An Exploratory Study". Pepperdine Digital Commons: Theses and dissertations: 77.
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