> to a partisan substack doesn’t count
Ouch, that hurts. But, there really isn't any difference between secondary-source news outlets and a substack. The substack just allows me to know exactly what I'm getting. In a world where there is no such thing as neural or fair, the most we can do is promote those that are transparent and thoughtful.
> You don’t pay for your news
I do pay good journalistic outlets. ThePrint in India charges me $10 a month, but they routinely produce good quality Indian news. They also openly declare a 'economically liberal, socially liberal' for their editorials and it is rare to find that kind of openness.
I would've paid for the Economist if I read it more often. I would've had an opinion on WSJ if I read it at all. Reuters has deteriorated a bit, but they provide first sources which is indispensable for the entire industry. But those 3 would be the closest mainstream new outlets that I'd consider paying for.
With how blatantly partisan NYT, WaPo, Guardian and the likes have become, it is hard to justify giving them a single cent of my hard earned money. Especially when they hide behind a veneer of fairness, prestige and even-handedness.