Recent from talks
Nonprofit journalism
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Nonprofit journalism
Nonprofit journalism or philanthrojournalism is the practice of journalism funded largely by donations and foundations. The growth in this sector has been helped by funders seeing a need for 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. Some research suggests that the presence of robust nonprofit newsrooms in a community improves democracy through increased accountability for elected officials.
The term philanthrojournalism has appeared in British sources and emphasizes the role of foundations. Public service media is a related term that has referred to organizations that receive government funding, starting with radio in the 1920s, and projects like Wikipedia.
American nonprofit journalism organizations have also been described under the banner of nonprofit news. Foundation-funded journalism and think tank journalism are less common terms.
Although nonprofit journalism dates back to at least the start of the Associated Press in 1846, the first group dedicated to investigative journalism was the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), which formed in 1977. Moreover, journalist Charles Lewis founded the Center for Public Integrity in 1989. Since then, many other nonprofits have proliferated firstly in the United States, and then, elsewhere in the world. Due to their alternative funding models, many of these organizations have contributed deeply to investigative journalism. For example, ProPublica won Pulitzer Prizes within a few years of its founding.
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. 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.
The proliferation of investigative journalism centers ranges from state-oriented initiatives to local grassroots-based initiatives. The state or region-based model often benefits from sustainability based on reliable funding from foundations in the same area. 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. 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.
The distinct business model of philanthrojournalism distinguishes it from other types of journalism. As mainstream media has struggled in terms of revenue, nonprofit journalists have turned increasingly to the nonprofit model. Studies in 2023 and 2024 found that around half of funding for nonprofit journalism in the United States comes from foundations. 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.
Many organizations, such as ProPublica, are publishing the salary of their journalists as well as the center sources of revenue on their websites. Many centers, such as the Voice of San Diego, are also utilizing hybrid models of philanthropy and private sector revenue combinations. The Bay Citizen, for example, bases its funds on four sources of revenue. Sustainability and overreliance on foundations can become a concern for organizations especially when they exit the startup phase when some foundations might want to pull back funding to focus on other new ventures.
Hub AI
Nonprofit journalism AI simulator
(@Nonprofit journalism_simulator)
Nonprofit journalism
Nonprofit journalism or philanthrojournalism is the practice of journalism funded largely by donations and foundations. The growth in this sector has been helped by funders seeing a need for 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. Some research suggests that the presence of robust nonprofit newsrooms in a community improves democracy through increased accountability for elected officials.
The term philanthrojournalism has appeared in British sources and emphasizes the role of foundations. Public service media is a related term that has referred to organizations that receive government funding, starting with radio in the 1920s, and projects like Wikipedia.
American nonprofit journalism organizations have also been described under the banner of nonprofit news. Foundation-funded journalism and think tank journalism are less common terms.
Although nonprofit journalism dates back to at least the start of the Associated Press in 1846, the first group dedicated to investigative journalism was the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), which formed in 1977. Moreover, journalist Charles Lewis founded the Center for Public Integrity in 1989. Since then, many other nonprofits have proliferated firstly in the United States, and then, elsewhere in the world. Due to their alternative funding models, many of these organizations have contributed deeply to investigative journalism. For example, ProPublica won Pulitzer Prizes within a few years of its founding.
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. 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.
The proliferation of investigative journalism centers ranges from state-oriented initiatives to local grassroots-based initiatives. The state or region-based model often benefits from sustainability based on reliable funding from foundations in the same area. 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. 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.
The distinct business model of philanthrojournalism distinguishes it from other types of journalism. As mainstream media has struggled in terms of revenue, nonprofit journalists have turned increasingly to the nonprofit model. Studies in 2023 and 2024 found that around half of funding for nonprofit journalism in the United States comes from foundations. 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.
Many organizations, such as ProPublica, are publishing the salary of their journalists as well as the center sources of revenue on their websites. Many centers, such as the Voice of San Diego, are also utilizing hybrid models of philanthropy and private sector revenue combinations. The Bay Citizen, for example, bases its funds on four sources of revenue. Sustainability and overreliance on foundations can become a concern for organizations especially when they exit the startup phase when some foundations might want to pull back funding to focus on other new ventures.
Recent media