John Christie guest lecture

I learned a lot about the trials and tribulations of starting a nonprofit journalism endeavor. I can really appreciate a lot about not only the business model, but also the ethics of the publication. I remain slightly confused about where the money comes from in order to pay the few employees and take care of other financial obligations that any business has, though. Donations don’t seem like enough in my eyes as I attempt to think it through, but that is what John Christie touched upon in his presentation. Also emphasized heavily was the commitment to journalism. Journalism, at its very core, is meant to serve society with information that they do not have the access to attain on their own. It is the job of those trained and with credentials to accurately portray what’s happening in a variety of settings. Christie’s nonprofit focuses on government dealings in Maine. You can tell in his interactions with our class that he is passionate and dedicated to staying truthful, honest, and away from all sponsored content. He is likely one of the few that values and is not willing to stray from the fundamental purpose of journalism.