Jonathan Heawood: Philanthropy and Public Interest Journalism

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In this episode we talk to Jonathan Heawood, Executive Director of the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF), about the role philanthropy can play in funding public interest journalism, and some of the opportunities and challenges this might bring. Including:

• How do we define public interest journalism?
• What are the key challenges for news providers in the modern digital landscape? What role can philanthropy play in addressing these challenges?
• Why is local news particularly important, and why does it face particular challenges?
• Do philanthropic funders tend to see journalism funding as a means to an end, i.e. a way of furthering their own cause, rather than a public good in itself? Is this changing, and what can be done to make the case?
• What role could philanthropic funding for public interest journalism play in addressing concerns about the erosion of democracy and the challenges of mis- and disinformation?
• Will growing concerns about populism and the threat of the far right lead more funders and donors to start supporting public interest journalism?
• What have the barriers traditionally been when it comes to philanthropic funding of journalism and news media in the UK?
• Is there a potential challenge in maintaining editorial independence when receiving philanthropic funding?
• Is there a danger that in encouraging philanthropic support for news media, we make journalism a “charity case” and thus undermine people’s willingness to pay for it in the long term?
• Are there things that we can learn from other countries when it comes to nonprofit news models and philanthropic funding for journalism?

Further Resources:

• Public Interest News Foundation
• Media Impact Funders (US) and Journalism Funders Forum (Europe)
• Jonathan's 2022 blog for Beacon, "Good News? Can philanthropy unlock a better media landscape?"
• Jonathan's 2024 Guardian article,  "Local news in the UK is in deep trouble. But this band of radicals could change everything".
• Rhodri's 2018 Alliance article, "Philanthropy should fund the media for its own sake".
• Philanthropisms podcasts with Teddy Schleifer, Charles Keidan, Farai Chideya and Daniel Stid.
• Philanthropisms podcast on philanthropy & populism.