> What about the Red Cross, the NRA, the Sierra Club, the NAACP, the ACLU? Good point. Yes, we are not quite living in a libertarian paradise/hellhole of pure

> What about the Red Cross, the NRA, the Sierra Club, the NAACP, the ACLU? Good point. Yes, we are not quite living in a libertarian paradise/hellhole of pure capitalism yet. :) Even there, though, non-profits do compete for donor dollars and the competitive pressure is not always well-aligned with the altruistic goals of the organization. > There is absolutely room in a capitalist society for non-profit organizations that at least some segment of the population are passionate about enough to fund them. I agree, but I hesitate to rely entirely on the largesse of those with spare cash to support journalism. Journalism is a vital function for democracy, and democracy should support all of a nations' people, not just the views of those with extra money. There are, of course, many wealthy people willing to support journalism that protects the poor too, but I worry as always about bias. > In the modern age, there is also room for independent journalists. Thousands of Youtubers and podcasters make a living through patreon, why not journalists? With the internet, you don't need to backing of a massive news outlet to have your story printed and distributed. I have some but limited faith that "all bugs are shallow" applies to investigative journalism. Yes, independent journalists can dig up and find a lot of stuff. But there's really something to be said for the doors that get opened when a journalist from a well-regarded important publication knocks on them. When the Washington Post asks a politician a hard question, they feel some pressure to answer. When J. Random Youtuber does, not so much.