Only 7% of Americans had a great deal of trust in media last year, a record low, according to polling organization Gallup. And the recent Rasmussen Reports sample of 1079 Likely U.S. voters reports that they perceive that media bias is getting worse:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. voters believe the problem of bias in the news media is getting worse – slightly higher than our December survey. Just nine percent (9%) think the problem is getting better, while 27% say the problem of media bias is about the same as usual.

“Are the News Media More Biased Than Ever?,” Rasmussen Reports, July 10, 2024

It is tempting to point to situations where media dropped the ball on various topics but one critical factor is often overlooked: In the age of the internet, most news consumers have a variety of options.

Layoffs continue in traditional news media

Not surprisingly, lack of public support means fewer jobs. Just yesterday, Axios laid off 50 staffers, joining Vice, which laid off hundreds earlier this year. These were “cool” media, not stodgy survivals. From media tracker Press Gazette, we learn, “2023 was a brutal year for the journalism industry, with at least 8,000 job cuts in the UK, US and Canada, according to Press Gazette’s analysis.” For them, 2024 is not looking any better.

Of course, there is no shortage of news and news consumers. But the internet crashes the cost of almost every factor except time so more and more independent sources are jumping in.

Legacy media seek government bailouts

Many people who now get their news from a variety of online sources do not realize that there are active efforts to find a source of funding for traditional media other than subscriptions and advertising. For example, former newspaper reporter Thomas Buckley wrote last month about the slow death of traditional print media in California. Commenting on a Los Angeles Times series bemoaning the decline, he said something readers should note:

It [the article] reminded the world of the need for the bill making its way through the legislature that would force search engines like Google to pay for new links, worried about how AI will change the industry, and appalled that the declining news coverage in California is making room for misinformation.

In Canada, news organizations get the equivalent of $1,000 (US) per month per-reporter.

Thomas Buckley,“ LA Times Bemoans Death of California Journalism – Fails to Acknowledge It Helped Kill It,” California Globe, July 29, 2024

One outcome of the Canada’s media bailout is that Canadians are no longer allowed to post news links on Facebook any more. If they do, a message pops up that says “Due to Canadian government legislation…”

Does the Los Angeles Times want that for Californians? Well, one thing for sure: If situations like that become normal, no Californian will be competition for the LA Times. The LA Times will find it easier to stay in business, with an outsize influence, even if few Angelinos really want to read it.

Most Americans probably do not know that a federal scheme for bailout of legacy mainstream media narrowly missed adoption in 2023.

In any event, by accepting taxpayer funds in order to survive, the mainstream media will gradually morph into agencies of the government, with everything that that entails.

Government-funded media typically have far less interest in freedom of the press and may be inclined to worry about the threat allegedly posed by alternative media that do not accept funding. In Canada, for example, one journalist working for an independent medium routinely gets arrested, with little outcry.

As new media take shape, they must address advertiser boycotts

X, to take one example, may be morphing into a new type of news medium — bottom up rather than top down, as it reshapes itself under Elon Musk. People you’ve never heard of can be operating a news channel with millions of followers, with very little overhead.

X faces fierce hatred from traditional media, including tech media, who have constantly prophesied its demise and touted Facebook’s Threads instead. But just recently, Musk noted “The same legacy media dingbats who lied repeatedly, claiming ‘X/Twitter is dying’, are now saying it’s the ‘largest & most influential platform.’”

Yes and, make no mistake, the legacy media want something done about that! Bottom-up news media are an existential threat to traditional top-down media. And the traditional media are well aware of that, and of the fact that they wouldn’t be able to survive indefinitely on government largesse alone.

The next major front in the battle is this: Watchdog organizations encourage advertisers to boycott X and similar media, citing claims about “misinformation.” Thus X is suing GARM, one of the biggest ones. We will look at what is happening there next.

You may also wish to read: Why mainstream media can no longer really fight censorship. Whether they realize it or not, by accepting funds in order to survive, the MSM will gradually become agencies of government. The average news consumer may face a much bigger challenge in the near future in getting independent news on topics of interest.