Bonus: Who Pays for the News? Funding the Fourth Estate
In this special bonus episode of On Assignment, Malcolm Redd steps into the host chair to explore the financial future of local journalism. As advertising dollars vanish into the coffers of Big Tech, newsrooms are scrambling to find sustainable models—from reader-funded startups and journalist-owned cooperatives to nonprofit newsrooms and public benefit corporations.
Drawing on examples from Defector to Lookout Santa Cruz, and from Canadian policy to U.S. tax credits, Malcolm breaks down the innovative ownership structures and funding strategies reshaping the local news landscape. It’s a wide-ranging look at who pays for the news now—and what it might take to keep journalism alive where it’s needed most.
Creators and Guests
Guest
Malcolm Redd
Malcolm Redd is a media business analyst with a deep focus on the evolving economics of journalism. Based in the Chicago area, he has closely studied emerging ownership and funding models—ranging from reporter-led cooperatives to foundation-backed nonprofits and member-supported platforms. Redd’s approach is methodical, but never mechanical, shaped by years of parsing how local and national outlets adapt (or fail to) in a landscape where legacy structures are no longer guaranteed. He’s especially interested in systems that function outside conventional market logic, often surfacing insights that traditional observers might miss. Though rarely seen at industry mixers, his voice remains a fixture in conversations about journalism’s financial future.