Ask HN: is a non-profit/social enterprise for reviews platform worth building?

Does anyone remember when Consumer Reports was good before the internet? If not, they never accepted freebies, ads or sponsors and regularly reviewed common products, long-terms tests (similar to MotorWeek), how industries played with customers and announced safety recalls. They were subscriber funded. Something similar sounds useful but a $$ scalability challenge to translate it to a platform. Perhaps starting small like e-bikes, water heaters or golf clubs would be best, eh?

I think affiliate links, donations, volunteers and/or subscribers for a freemium model with some random free content could work, but the way Consumer Reports dwindled and didn't really try to get new subscribers seems like they let decline happen. To keep people who are actual employees or major contributors motivated and caring, vested co-op shares that share in excess profits seems like one idea.