Who Pays for the News?

Media Business Models and the Role of Philanthropy

A Washington Monthly/
New America Foundation Event
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
8:45 - 11:00 a.m.
New America Foundation
1899 L St NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20036

American journalism has entered a phase of what the economist Joseph Schumpeter called "creative destruction." Gone are the fat profit margins that once underwrote investigative teams and deep, experienced teams of reporters to monitor and hold accountable both government and private power. New and exciting forms of journalism are sprouting, but new business models have yet to evolve to replace the old ones that are crumbling.

And while the demise of any one media outlet is a problem mainly for its owners and audience, the broad decline of independent, investigative journalism is a serious threat to U.S. politics and public interest. If the market won't underwrite good journalism, are there other models that will?

Please join the Washington Monthly and the New America Foundation on Wednesday, May 13, for a discussion on the future of journalism and the role philanthropy might play in its transformation.

Opening Keynote Speaker: Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Sponsor, S.673, "The Newspaper Revitalization Act"

Confirmed Panelists Include:

Steve Coll
President and CEO, New America Foundation
Staff Writer, The New Yorker
Former Managing Editor, The Washington Post

Paul Glastris
Editor in Chief, The Washington Monthly
Senior Fellow, New America Foundation

Alex Jones
Director, Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy
Jeffrey Leonard
CEO, The Global Environment Fund

Douglas McGray
Fellow, New America Foundation

John Thornton
General Partner, Austin Ventures

To RSVP for the event, see:
http://www.newamerica.net/events/2009/who_pays_news

For questions, contact Stephanie Gunter at (202) 596-3367 or gunter@newamerica.net