Commentary
Craigslist Founder Donates $1M To ProPublica To Fight Fake News
- by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 1, 2017
One of the pioneers of the Internet economy is stepping up to help fight against one of its more baleful effects.
The Craig Newmark Foundation, the charitable organization created by the eponymous founder of Craigslist, is bestowing a $1 million grant on the nonprofit, online news outfit ProPublica. It will help support its mission of producing investigative journalism in the public interest — and hopefully counter the spread of “fake news” on social media.
Founded in 2007 by Paul Steiger, a former managing editor at The Wall Street Journal, ProPublica publishes independent journalism on local, national and international topics, with a particular focus on public policy and the doings (and misdoings) of government officials and big business.
Its reporting has won several Pulitzer Prizes, including the 2016 award for explanatory reporting for its account of the hunt for a serial rapist.
ProPublica argues that a new business model is needed to support investigative journalism, which many for-profit news organizations now view as an unaffordable luxury. It is principally supported by donations, but also accepts some advertising. It makes some of its long-form reports available to big news organizations for free in order to get the widest possible distribution.
Announcing the donation, Newmark explained his motivation: “A trustworthy press is the immune system of democracy. As citizens we can only make informed decisions when we have news we can trust. Independent investigative reporting is essential to shoot down false claims and expose bad actors.”
Newmark added: “It’s a media environment where really nasty gossip, lies and deception have the business advantage, and where a lot of traditional news organizations are on the ropes. So we need to redouble our efforts to support the good guys.”
This is just one of a number of initiatives from Newmark to support nonprofit journalism. Previously, he endowed a chair in journalism ethics at the Poynter Institute and has also contributed to Wikipedia.
Erik Sass is editor of Publishers Daily. You can reach Erik at eriksass@gmail.com.
One of the only ways to counter fake news is by direct attack.
I would propose founding new online sites with names, and missions, like "BreitbartLies" and "DrudgeExposed" and so on, which very carefully answer each and every piece of fake news with verified facts. Fund them. Advertise them. Stand behind them.
Yes, it sounds corny and way too basic, but that's how those fake news sites became so powerful in the first place. If "we" stand up to "them" with facts, and make them defend their BS, their lies can at least be blunted, if not erased.
PS: ... As an avid reader of Poynter's blogs, I would strongly suggest that they use some of Craig's money to hire a proofreader or two. ... Please!