"The Platform Press" — Essay On How Silicon Valley Reengineered Journalism

Emily Bell is one of the smartest commentators on the ongoing disruption of the news industry through platforms, digitization and automation. The essay "Post-Industrial Journalism", which she co-authored in 2012, already is a modern classic and anticipated in detail the depressing situation most publishers find themselves in today.

The main reason for their misery is the rise of the new platform giants, mainly Facebook. Her latest essay describes in detail how the publishers ended up in the headlock of companies, often founded not even ten years ago, and how this is not only radically transforming journalism but also our public sphere, politics and society. 

Bell interviewed dozens of newsroom executives and gathered data on their use of third-party platforms. Even though there are some publishers who profit from the unforeseen reach of the platforms, her conclusion leaves little room for optimism. 

The dynamics propelled by Silicon Valley undermine the watchdog role of journalism. Using either the carrot or the stick or outright ignorance, platforms force publishers to obey to the laws of the new ecosystems.

"Journalism with high civic value (...) is discriminated against by a system that favors scale and shareability."

I personally see little alternatives to a stronger involvement of the state or philanthropists. Being dependent from public funds and foundations is fundamentally corroding the independence of journalism, but let's be honest: This independence ceased to exist a long time ago. To varying degrees publishers handed over their journalism to the (benevolent) despotism of platforms (who are themselves profoundly surveilled and will be increasingly regulated by the state). Independence isn't an option any more. As a publisher, it appears, the only freedom is to choose your master.