Comments on: Journalism as capitalism

By: Roger Wilson

Roger Wilson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:47:15 +0000

Non-profit is a tax status not a business model. The tax status of an enterprise doesn’t mean all that much. What matters are the motivations of the enterprise, where it’s bread is buttered and by who, how it is governed and what the individuals invovled are trying to do. Government funding, especially of political news, is therefore highly suspect. My motto is this business has been, “first figure out what you want to say, and then figure out how to make it pay.”

By: Old Forest, New Trees » Blog Archive » Nonprofits are run by capitalists, too

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:29:33 +0000

[...] Jarvis has been pooh-poohing news that’s subsidized by governments or do-gooders: I see another danger, though: that not-for-profit ventures will delay or even choke off [...]

By: Michael Andersen

Michael Andersen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:58:01 +0000

I agree with Jim. This is thoughtful and important, but it overemphasizes the difference between FP and NP.

In fact, to think of NPs as an anomaly in the market system — and to conclude that they’re therefore less “sustainable” — is actually to buy into a sort of anticapitalist notion that it’s possible for anyone to escape market forces.

The truth is that NPs produce goods, just like anybody else. Sometimes it’s public services for governments. Sometimes it’s warm fuzzies for rich donors.

It’s harder for NPs to grow rapidly. But as Jim points out, small-scale innovation can be God’s work, too.

By: Jim Barnett

Jim Barnett — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:06:44 +0000

This line of reasoning is sound, but reflects the world view of the discipline of journalism, not of nonprofit management.

In the nonprofit world, the line between nonprofit and for-profit are not so bright. Nonprofits have a a long history of serving as laboratories for for-profit enterprises.

So we should not assume that nonprofits can never and will never cross the line; look at the history of Minnesota Public Radio as an example. The nonprofits that fill gaps today may well beget the for-profit business models of tomorrow.

By: danielsaltmankaden » Blog Archive » Left 4 Dead Order

danielsaltmankaden » Blog Archive » Left 4 Dead Order — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:42:34 +0000

[...] Journalism as capitalism | News Innovation [...]

By: Tweetlinks, 10-03-09 [A Blog Around The Clock] « Technology Blogs

Tweetlinks, 10-03-09 [A Blog Around The Clock] « Technology Blogs — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:45:19 +0000

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By: L4D Preorder « dailypolitikal

L4D Preorder « dailypolitikal — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:16:40 +0000

[...] Journalism as capitalism | News Innovation [...]

By: Jeff Jarvis

Jeff Jarvis — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:47:51 +0000

thanks much.

By: Emilie

Emilie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:45:14 +0000

RE: Old post about WaPo buying its reporters out instead of setting them up with monetized blogs…was it this post? http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/07/08/newsroom-economics/

JJ – your above-referenced arguments take place both in that post/comments section of that post.

By: Burzmali

Burzmali — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:47:18 +0000

You say that not-for-profits are bullied by their donors, but aren’t for-profits equally beholden to their advertisers? What’s the difference?

Not all not-for-profits subsist on hand outs, they can still have revenue streams even if they don’t attempt to earn a profit.

Consider the tax angle as well, which has a better chance of survival, a NFP with $5M or a FP with $3.33M and a bunch of investors hounding them for a return in 1-3 years?