Introducing newsjunkie.net

Who's behind the news?

In our opinion, knowing who controls the press is as important as the news itself. Without an understanding of the character and intentions of ownership, the validity of reporting falls into question.

Most news journals were locally-owned until a few decades ago when changes in media law allowed for greater concentration of ownership and less scrutiny. Before the Internet disrupted revenue models, newspapers were already under pressure to deliver stronger results for their corporate owners.

“Infotainment” became a buzzword, and along with euphemisms like “soft news” and “news you can use,” it pointed towards a demotion of serious reporting in favor of shallower content. The next trend was even worse, using tactics such as inducing rage and “red-meat” to drive audience loyalty.

Since the dawn of the digital age and the now-entrenched political strategies of the zero-sum game, a critique has emerged: the weaponization of the media. While we won’t comment on that characterization, we can confidently say that there are many news organizations today that aspire to integrity, transparency, and professionalism. We also see a rising vitality in areas like investigative reporting and college journalism. The business is changing, not dying.

Newsjunkie.net is a resource for journalists. Research for stories often begins with a look at how other publications are covering a story. Knowing who owns and runs those publications is core to a writer’s due diligence.

Newsjunkie.net articles are written in-house. We do not scrape, sling or repackage information. To stand behind our work, we have to do it ourselves.

We will offer information on news organizations, media owners, and advertisers; their focus, organization, and end-game. We will also examine their connections both within and outside the media industry.

We will look at trends in the industry to track what is working and what is not.

This is a grassroots effort; we believe it has to be. With that said, we believe you can help us achieve our mission’s essence and scope. If you are a journalist, we need your inside view into what’s happening in your organization and the broader media market. And if we have made errors, you will let us know.

If you are a service that sells to media professionals, we invite you to work with us to build a sustainable ad model.

If you are just starting your career, we could use your help writing, editing, and fact-checking. We will not succeed without the passion and partnership of committed young professionals.

We believe this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Gordon Whiting and Andrew Blaisdell