Are you willing to pay the news? The future of journalism may depend on

French legislators have recently implemented A fiscal credit for citizens who subscribe to communication points. In the same way, other governments around the world directly or indirectly fund their media. Although they take a significant step toward funding for journalism, these models disagree with the first North -American amendment, which guarantees, in part, a free press from the government’s intervention.

This freedom is crucial to ensuring that the media is able to criticize the North -American Government and maintain it in control. That is why, at a time when access to accurate information could not be more important, members of the North -American public have to decide to invest in journalism.

Why are Americans reluctant to pay the high quality news they need?

North -Americans’ confidence in the media has historically arrived low levels. North -Americans also perceive more and more media skewed toward a given political party. In most cases, North -Americans often think that the media is biased against their own political party and beliefs, a phenomenon called Effect of hostile media. These results are probably related to two important things: the augmented political rhetoric that constantly questions the accuracy of the public news and perceptions of what is accurate.

First, we consider what constitutes “the media” and how political elites argue. The term “media” is often used as a denigration that is selectively inclusive, applied to communication points that oppose opinions. Politicians and spikes, particularly conservative, have worked to create a common enemy – the media news – in recent years. Trump has it he repeatedly attacked News organizations and Fox News are frequently criticized ”the main means. “Irony, of course, is that Fox News is the the most consumed News Network Cable, which places it quite as part of the main media. This increased the rhetoric of North -American journalists as the enemy of the North -American public aggravates the low levels of trust and hinders the dissemination of accurate information.

The second point to consider is how the north -American audience was so cynical for news content. Educators and friends with good sense have encouraged their students and acquaintances to be skeptical and critical of the means they consume. While a critical view of the media is important, the North -Americans must also be skeptical and critical of their own belief systems. The fact of not doing -often leads to Confirmation biasWhere individuals select information that agrees with their own beliefs because they do not like to find divergent perspectives. Since many North -Americans have learned to be critical of the content of the media, but not their own beliefs, this skepticism can lead to the easy rejection of uncomfortable but accurate information.

So where does the future of North -American journalism come out? It must begin with a reputation for the importance of accurate reports. The founders of America understood the need for a free and independent press, and we must admit that this essential entity must continue to exist and prosper for our democracy to function.

Then the North -Americans need to consider what information they value and why. If we only consume information that agrees with our own points of view, we allow the misinformation to execute unpleasant and immoral actors. We need to be open to new perspectives, even challenging, and these perspectives must be taken in fact.

The crucial part of this, however, is that the North -Americans must be willing to pay their news. Good journalism is expensive. In order for the press to work in a capitalist democracy, people have to pay the content that will fulfill their goals of being informed.

When the news consumption was mainly transferred to online distribution, the newspapers could not establish a business model in operation that could accommodate the next decrease in advertising and printed copy subscriptions. Even when newspapers moved online, found that online advertising and subscriptions tended to be far away less lucrative. Certainly, some modern news organizations have found ways to produce the necessary income for good journalism, but the probability that other publications will continue to exist, in particular the local points of sale, immensely important, will fall into the purchasing power of the consumer.

Without a committed and sustained investment of the North -American public, local journalism can cease to exist. Small and medium -sized newspapers all over the country are consolidate or get out of the business partly due to property decisions, but also because the north -Americans have chosen to receive their news at aggregated shapes (such as Google News, Facebook and Twitter). Although these aggregators are based on local news sources to collect their content, advertising revenue or other means, such as the sale of user data, are often not shared (or not shared fairly) with the originals of the information.

The data constantly shows that the North -Americans are willing to pay the media online. We may not pay attention to our Netflix Subscription prices or add Disney+ to our online services. So why shakes the thought of paying quality journalism? News consumers have become accustomed to free access to news content. Since we have been damaged the news content that is available for free, we hope it will continue to be free. A Anchoring effect It has caused any increase in news prices to seem great, although a newspaper subscription is often only a Netflix subscription.

If Americans want to receive high quality and accurate information, they must be willing to pay for it. Because online ads are often bought at a fraction of the priced ads, advertising revenue does not provide enough to support news operations. Financing of direct government introduces a conflict of interest. Non -profit state and tax exemptions promote the main contributions of richest people and corporations. Each of these models alone cannot ensure that North -American Journalism persists as a Independent Watchdog From government and other people to power. Instead, the North -Americans have to pay the news content to provide support for this crucial component of our democracy.

Even with this information, it may be difficult to decide which news organizations have to support. The following strategies should help consumers to make these decisions:

• Consider where you get your news. Are you selecting information just because you agree with you? Don’t do it. Choose news sources that make more than attend to a partisan audience.

• Ensure -You are different between news and comments. Good news organizations should clearly demolish the news and what is the opinion content.

• Check out the use of news organizations sources. The sources they use in their news are credible and considered expert in their field? Note: Experts are usually people who are not political.

• Look for journalistic standards. A good news organization should have a code of ethics or clear informed guidelines published on its website.

• If you detect information on social networks or a news aggregator, first make sure that the information originated with a legitimate news organization (using the other steps shown here). Then visit the site of the news organization that created the original content to ensure that it will get advertising revenue for this content.

• Read full items, not just holders (or publications or Facebook tweets). In -depth reports provide more context, which is part of why it is worth paying.

• Get your news from various sources. Try to choose at least one local, national and international dam. And don’t be afraid to check your job using FACTS Checking Sites.

And it is important, once you have used this list to help select your favorite news organizations, willing to support your work by paying your content.

Jennifer Hoewe and Brett Sherrick are attached professors to the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University.

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• CEO of Stagwell: Journalism is being drained by excessive brand security censorship

This story originally presented to Fortune.com

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