A remarkable coalition of media and civic groups has formed a new organisation to save local news from its current crisis. This has stemmed from worries that the scale of the crisis is beyond what philanthropy alone has resolve. Government has traditionally played a role in protecting editorial independence and providing subsidies to newspapers, radio and TV stations to help maintain a functioning free press. So, the idea of government helping to save local media should not be so concerning to journalists, as it is essential to maintaining a vibrant local press and democracy. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
