ownershipnoun
OH-ner-ship
The fact of owning something; in media, the corporate or individual control of a news organization.
"Media ownership is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small number of very wealthy individuals."
vested interestnoun phrase
VES-tid IN-trest
A personal stake in an outcome that may bias one's actions or judgments.
"The oil company's foundation funds climate research — critics point to an obvious vested interest."
transparencynoun
trans-PAR-en-see
Openness and honesty about one's methods, sources, and potential conflicts of interest.
"The outlet published its funding sources as a commitment to transparency."
credibilitynoun
kred-ih-BIL-ih-tee
The quality of being trusted and believed; the degree to which a source can be trusted.
"The journalist's credibility was damaged when key facts in her story were found to be incorrect."
motivenoun
MOH-tiv
A reason for doing something; in journalism, the reason a story is told in a particular way.
"Before trusting this source, ask: what is their motive for sharing this information now?"
agendanoun
uh-JEN-duh
A set of goals or priorities, often hidden, that influence someone's actions or statements.
"The publication's editorial agenda was clear from its consistent focus on immigration as a threat."
disclosurenoun
dis-KLOH-zher
The act of making information public, especially information that might otherwise be hidden; a declaration of conflicts of interest.
"The article included a disclosure: 'The author's spouse works for the company covered in this story.'"
conflict of interestnoun phrase
KON-flikt uv IN-trest
A situation in which a person's private interests might influence — or appear to influence — their professional judgment.
"The regulator who approved the drug had previously worked for its manufacturer — a clear conflict of interest."
editorial independencenoun phrase
ed-ih-TOR-ee-ul in-deh-PEN-dents
The freedom of journalists and editors to make decisions about content without interference from owners, advertisers, or governments.
"The new owner promised to maintain editorial independence — but many journalists remained skeptical."
media conglomeratenoun phrase
MEE-dee-uh kun-GLOM-er-it
A large corporation that owns multiple media outlets across different formats and markets.
"Five media conglomerates now control most of the news Americans read, watch, and hear."
state medianoun phrase
stayt MEE-dee-uh
News organizations owned, funded, or controlled by a government.
"State media in the country presented the election results without any critical analysis."
public broadcasternoun phrase
PUB-lik BRAWD-kas-ter
A media organization funded by public money (license fees or taxes) rather than advertising or private investment.
"Public broadcasters like the BBC and NPR are theoretically insulated from commercial pressures."
advertiser influencenoun phrase
AD-ver-ty-zer IN-floo-unts
The effect that advertisers' commercial interests can have on news coverage, directly or indirectly.
"The newspaper refused to run the story, raising questions about advertiser influence on editorial decisions."
press freedomnoun phrase
PRES FREE-dum
The right of journalists to investigate and publish without censorship or punishment by governments or other powerful actors.
"Press freedom has declined in 73 countries over the past decade, according to Reporters Without Borders."
watchdog journalismnoun phrase
WOCH-dawg JUR-nuh-liz-um
Journalism that monitors powerful institutions and holds them accountable for their actions.
"Watchdog journalism is essential in a democracy — without it, power operates without scrutiny."
sponsored contentnoun phrase
SPON-serd KON-tent
Material that looks like journalism but is paid for by an advertiser; also called 'native advertising'.
"The article looked like news, but the small print revealed it was sponsored content produced by a pharmaceutical company."
paywalledadjective
PAY-wawld
(Of online content) accessible only to subscribers who pay.
"The most in-depth investigation is paywalled — raising questions about who can access quality journalism."
nonprofit journalismnoun phrase
non-PROF-it JUR-nuh-liz-um
Journalism produced by organizations whose mission is public service rather than profit.
"Nonprofit journalism outlets like ProPublica have broken major investigative stories without commercial pressure."
founder-led medianoun phrase
FOWN-der-led MEE-dee-uh
A news outlet whose editorial direction is heavily influenced by the personal views of its founding owner.
"Founder-led media can be edgy and independent — or deeply personal and difficult to hold accountable."
hedge fund medianoun phrase
hej fund MEE-dee-uh
News outlets purchased by hedge funds or private equity, often leading to staff cuts and reduced editorial quality.
"The acquisition of the local paper by a hedge fund led to the closure of its investigative team within a year."