Over the last decade, one of the most significant threats to independent news organizations has been largely overlooked – the cost of insuring against devastating financial liability. Today, we have a changing news landscape with important new independent voices emerging, but too many of them are one lawsuit away from being sued out of existence.

The Problem

What happens when effective insurance is out of reach

American newsrooms are facing an increasingly litigious landscape at the exact moment when more and more of them have less capacity to defend themselves. A vital piece of the puzzle has historically been liability insurance, but today that protection is out of reach for many newsrooms. Skyrocketing rates spurred by uncertainty around new models of journalism and increased legal action mean more journalists are operating without a safety net. Those that do have insurance often face reduced coverage, increased out of pocket costs and higher fees after legal action – even when they win their cases.

The impact on independent online news production is chilling, with an increase of newsrooms reporting self-censorship, financial hardship due to legal and insurance costs or, operating without any insurance safety net at all. This “mundane” problem, is a sustained encroachment on the free speech that the American press and public at large have grown accustomed to.

The Solution

What we can do about it

A highly coordinated, visible and sustained response is needed to provide access to coverage, education and resources, as well as to dissuade would-be litigants. We envision a coalition of publishers, journalists, readers, insurance industry leaders working to build long-term solutions that protect independent news organizations from bad actors. In the long-term we seek three key outcomes:

• Reducing fear and increasing advocacy through storytelling and field work.
• Higher success rates for procuring insurance.
• Increasing news production and quality of production through reliable protection. 

The Media Insurance Working Group currently includes Democracy Fund, G2 Insurance, the Institute for Nonprofit News, Local Independent Online News Publishers, and the Poynter Institute.

Join us!

A growing number of individuals and organizations are seeking a new path forward. Working together to identify innovative tools, services and research to ensure independent new organizations can report without fear thanks to meaningful safety nets and educational support. We are working to recruit more voices and resources to this effort. Fill out this form to get connected with our work.

Top image, clockwise from top left: The GroundTruth Project, Civil Beat, Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, inewsource. Images from the Institute for Nonprofit News.