As the number of traditional media outlets have declined for economic reasons, some gaps in coverage increasingly are being filled by nonprofit groups. Many of them are staffed by journalists with “mainstream” experience. These outlets are gaining public credibility — as shown by Carolina Journal’s recent wins in the N.C. Press Association’s annual awards contest — but face many of the same economic challenges as for-profit newspapers. Carolina Journal Editor-in-Chief Rick Henderson will discuss these issues, along with concerns how media organizations backed by donors rather than advertisers and subscribers can win the public’s trust.
