Who owns the media matters. In a democracy, an independent press is meant to scrutinise power, hold governments and corporations accountable, and give citizens the information they need to make decisions. In practice, media ownership in most countries is highly concentrated — a small number of wealthy individuals or corporations control the majority of news outlets. This creates a structural conflict of interest: owners may be reluctant to publish stories that damage their other business interests or political allies. The rise of digital media was initially seen as a democratising force — anyone could publish, and dominant media gatekeepers would lose their grip. In practice, digital disruption has destroyed traditional media revenue without producing a reliable replacement, driving journalists towards clicks over depth and enabling the spread of disinformation.

💡 Did you know? Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has at various times controlled major newspapers and TV channels in Australia, the UK, and the US simultaneously — giving a single individual enormous influence over political discourse in three countries.