Increasingly, bad discourse is preventing communities from effectively addressing problems they face. Are online news paywalls contributing to this by exaggerating echo chambers and filter bubbles?

In this episode of Rethinking, we look at some problems that might be caused by online news paywalls, and consider a solution that might help not only change the incentives of large media outlets and make it easier for people to get information from multiple sources, but also to sustain more hyperlocal journalism. It’s an “EZ-Pass” for reading news online, and it comes with some interesting opportunities.

This is an idea in active development related to potential projects in New Jersey, and so your feedback on what is presented here is strongly encouraged! You can reach Alex at alex( a t )rethinkingwithalextorpey(dot)com.

Some links:

• Article referenced:
  • https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2021/03/09/paywalls/
• A few stories about paywalls
  • https://www.wired.com/story/paywalls-newsletters-and-the-new-echo-chamber/
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2019/08/01/why-paywalls-arent-always-the-answer-for-newspapers/?sh=580face4429f
  • https://epicpresence.com/journalism-paywalls/
  • https://dbknews.com/2019/09/17/paywalls-online-advertising-google-facebook/
• Some cool news related organizations in New Jersey:
  • NJ Civic Information Consortium
    • https://njcivicinfo.org/
  • Center for Cooperative Media
    • https://centerforcooperativemedia.org/
• South Orange’s News sources:
  • Included at various times: the News Record, the Village Green, the Alternative Press, AOL Patch, and several others.