The Economic Imperative of Investing in Public Interest Media: A statement by 11 of the world's leading economists
The High Level Panel urges governments to recognize and uphold the economic value of public interest media in the age of AI.
The global information crisis poses a dire threat to economic prosperity and human progress
The Forum on Information and Democracy has convened a High-Level Panel of leading international economists. Their collective statement examines the drivers of this crisis and proposes a concrete plan of action for governments worldwide.
Their analysis not only discusses the political and democratic consequences of free information but also delves deeply into its economic significance – an aspect that has been largely overlooked until now.
As Governments around the world are chasing the AI dream, they are not investing sufficiently in independent, verifiable information.
“Well-functioning economies rely on widely accessible, verified, and trustworthy information.
Public interest journalism provides a vital supply of such information.”
- The High Level Panel on Public Interest Media
What are they calling for?
The Panel calls on all governments committed to economic growth and democratic prosperity to:
Invest in new models
Invest in new models to support and safeguard free and independent media. This means that public support and investment in public interest media must be increased both nationally and internationally.
Shape the media ecosystem
Shape the media ecosystem through a new generation of “information industrial policies” that will better regulate the market and reduce the informational divide.
The Open Letter and the Statement
Together, the Open Letter and the Statement call on governments to recognize independent, verifiable information as essential economic infrastructure and to invest accordingly in sustainable models that safeguard public interest media. They set out concrete priorities for public action, urging leaders to establish protections, incentives and policies that ensure resilient, pluralistic and trustworthy information ecosystems in the 21st century.
The Open Letter: The Global Information Crisis Poses a Dire Threat to Economic Prosperity and Human Progress (and a unique opportunity)
Published in nine languages across media outlets worldwide on September 22, the open letter calls on governments to urgently recognize and protect public interest media as essential democratic and economic infrastructure.
The Statement: The Economic Imperative of Investing in Public Interest Media
The Statement provides the foundation for this agenda, setting out clear priorities for governments to invest in sustainable models, safeguard independence, and strengthen resilient information ecosystems.
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