There's also the advertising-only-if-you-don't-have-a-subscription model, as on Twitch (which may or may not have journalism, depending on what exists that I haven't seen and on whether you count talk shows on current-events).
Wikipedia doesn't do any original reporting, it (essentially) uses volunteer work to aggregate/summarize original research that other people have done. That original research has to get paid for. Or in other words, if all journalism ceases to exist, suddenly Wikipedia won't be able to function either.
> it works for NPR
NPR is also supported by advertising in a big way, we've all just sort of collectively agreed not to call it that. Technically NPR has "underwriters" and not "advertisers", and they run "underwriting segments" instead of "ads", but apart from a couple of FCC rules mandating stricter truth laws than normal ads, there's not really any difference.
> as on Twitch
The vast majority of Twitch broadcasters do not earn enough to make a living, and the ones who do generally get that way by being flashy, vapid and obnoxious enough to attract a cult following. I don't want this model to carry over to journalism.
In conclusion, I don't think your comment offers any real evidence for a possible "third way" in journalism.
This isn't completely true. NPR-associated stations regularly hold donation drives, and solicit donations from private individuals to help them meet their expenses. It's a significant part of their operating budget. Of course, they also have "messages from the sponsors" too, though not nearly as many as in commercial radio.
Regular journalism could do the same thing if they wanted to.
For individual stations, a mix of funding sources is generally represented.
KQED, San Francisco's PBS/NPR affiliate, familiar to many HN readers, and the most-listened to radio station in the US, has a breakdown as follows:
- Contributions & Membership Fees: 56%
- Underwriting & General Grants: 21%
- Community Service Grants: 8%
- All other: 15%
"Underwriting" includes sponsor spots.
http://web.archive.org/web/20190914125855/https://ww2.kqed.o...
That breakdown is probably typical of larger stations. Many smaller stations operate through colleges, universities, or community resources, including federal funding for operating (but not programming) expenses.
NPR also receives direct underwriting revenues, as do specific programmes (and their originating stations or organisations).