[jmcmichael]

Yeah, state-sponsored news has its own problems. The state should probably be the main focus of news organizations. Having the State, target of journalists' investigations, hold the purse strings is perhaps an even bigger problem than the market.

I think there might be a solution where state funds support a local-news system, where the funds are institutionally separated from influence - maybe similar to how the Fed is supported by the State yet remains politically separate from it (ideally).

There are institutional structures beyond the state and market that can produce public goods.