Sean, thank you for this article. Great work, and it’s great discovering you here. I put in a couple of notes differing on some points, but the main point you make is irrefutable. As a journalist and content creator, I agree. Journalism has been subverted, and society is paying a big price.

That’s why I so admire news outlets like GreenBiz.com and the way they make money with branded and sponsored content and events, through their well-run content studio/agency, but do so with the most rigorous quality standards in the business. Truly a model to follow precisely because it allows serious journalism to prevail profitably, since the client is taught to realize that he/she wins ONLY if all content in the publication is credible and serious, including the client’s.

With the right dose of vision and discipline, it can be done.