Know What's Happening in Media

Profit or Nonprofit? A Debate over Journalism’s Future

In this episode of Journalism 2050, host Emily Bell and Heather Chaplin discuss the survival of journalism with two innovators: Vanan Murugesan of the nonprofit Sahan Journal and Joshi Herrmann of the subscription‑based Mill Media. The conversation contrasts nonprofit grant funding with reader‑paid models, highlighting how both can thrive and sustain local reporting on under‑served communities. Guests share insights on the risks, rewards, and scalability of their approaches, and explore how political pressures and authoritarian trends add new challenges beyond economics. The episode underscores that journalism can still be viable—whether profit‑oriented or nonprofit—if it adapts to community needs and diversified revenue streams.