Ep 21: What’s the deal with online news paywalls?

Rethinking with Alex Torpey
Rethinking with Alex Torpey
Ep 21: What's the deal with online news paywalls?
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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.
Hosted by
Alex Torpey

From serving as mayor (non party affiliated) of his hometown of South Orange at age 23, a municipal business administrator, founder of a digital consulting firm, an emergency management director and volunteer EMT, and as a graduate level adjunct professor, management consultant, mentor and speaker, Alex Torpey brings together his uniquely diverse experiences to help provide us a platform to rethink the future of our communities, our republic, and ourselves.

Instagram feed @alextorpey

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