Ethics and Access

Why is it always the journalists who sacrifice everything for the public good?

It is a very difficult time to be a journalist.

Aside from the obvious–the difficulties of working from home and the dangers that come with field reporting at the moment–journalists are facing the earliest effects of the looming recession. The COVID-19 crisis has shut down a series of corporations and businesses deemed non-essential in this tumultuous time. And while journalists thankfully fall under the umbrella of essential, the business providing their revenue through ad purchases are not so lucky.

And while major news organizations have seen an increase in newsletter subscriptions, that hasn’t prevented smaller news media sources from having to layoff swaths of their employees to stay afloat. At a time when the public needs journalism now more than ever. 

In fact, some news organizations recognize the public need for journalism amidst a pandemic. The New York Times, LA Times, and The Atlantic have all made their news coverage of COVID-19 free–no subscription necessary. As it should be; the education and information gap exist in large part because of wealth disparity. And while a monthly news subscription is nothing to a middle-class family wondering when they’ll be able to dine out again, it is everything to a single father living paycheck to paycheck trying to figure out if he needs to wear a mask to work in his area. Being able to pay for the news shouldn’t be the difference between staying healthy and ending up in the hospital.

But therein lies the reality–organizations like the NYT can afford to make their subscriptions free, as can many others. Smaller organizations can’t make the same sacrifices without their journalists paying the price. And while a government bailout would be ideal to protect journalists, under this administration, a reasonable solution seems unlikely. 

There is no right answer to how news organizations should move forward, but it feels like journalists will have to put the public’s needs over their own. And while it is inherently the journalist’s job to be devoted to the people, I have to wonder, why is it always the journalists who sacrifice everything for the public good?