Truthout

11/19/2025

Decades ago, far-right investors and philanthropists committed to a long-term, risk-taking investment in media and narrative infrastructure. Meanwhile, progressive philanthropy has largely ignored progressive and left media, relying on the continued operations of traditional, profit-driven media and failing to acknowledge the role journalism might play in countering the right’s agenda. But mainstream media has never been able, and was never financially incentivized to care about poor, working-class, LGBTQIA+, progressive people, and communities of color. It has failed our communities by abiding by the myth of objectivity. It has failed us by acting as a mouthpiece for those in power. It has failed us because it was never made for us.

However, progressive philanthropy can take steps to address the crisis we are facing.

Philanthropy must reckon with the fact that we need to invest in movement and community-based journalism, not just in the short term, but as a long-term project, with a willingness to trust those of us doing the work. It hasn’t been enough to fund narrative shift for a year or two and then switch to another strategy. By needing to seek funding month after month and year after year, newsroom leaders must shift precious resources and energy away from creative visioning, supporting our staff, and serving our communities. Rigorous, principled, independent nonprofit and community-based news is an essential part of progressive movement building. Information and accessible, non-pay-walled reporting that covers authoritarianism while also uplifting the solutions and multiracial coalitions resisting fascists are a critical part of the work. What many philanthropic organizations call “narrative change,” we call survival, justice, and power.

Movement journalism takes seriously the responsibility of the press to accountably serve the public good. We’re not in “business” to funnel advertising dollars to the pockets of billionaires; we’re here to perform liberatory work that is crucial for any large-scale social transformation.