Public Funding

Public funding constitutes financial support for journalism that comes from a government entity. Public money can support journalism directly or indirectly. Because independence from government is a valued element of journalism, the extent to which government financially supports journalism has been more controversial than other forms of funding for media such as advertising, underwriting, reader support, or philanthropy. This entry discusses public funding for journalism in the United States and the debate surrounding its efficacy.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which includes the wording “Congress shall make [Page 1341]no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,” sets up some protection for journalism from government, and journalists in the United States are expected to act as a check on government. A ...