Friday, May 1, 2009

Proposal for Board Licensing Mechanism for Journalists

A work in progress.
Outline:
[illustration of how the journalism sector is in bad straits]

[illustration of the commodification of journalists' work]

[licensing of journalists, board exam]

[barrier to entry as an established economic strategy]

[barrier to entry as a beneficial public service]

[case study of medical profession at turn of 19th-20th century]

[chief concern: But what of the free press? Government control of press is Totalitarianism]

[solution: use Bond Rating agency model]

[concern: Ponzi scheme]

[solution: ? ]

[trend that reinforces need for licensing solution: Disappearance of New York Times....
paper of record, stamp of quality, will no longer be tied to paper....
atomization of news reports...syndication model....
stamp of quality will be more on individual journalist...
Pulitzer and other awards work well except there is a VERY limited supply and, moreover,
current paradigm doesn't support the consumer of news easily knowing about such signifiers of quality (no "nutrition labeling" scheme for journalists)


[other benefits: further distancing influence of commercial concerns ....note that this ALSO is a benefit we'll see from
atomized/syndication/modulized news nugget trend]