Name: Why we should invest in a free press
Uploaded: 2006-10-18T00:11:00Z
Duration: 17 min 46 s
Description: A free press -- papers, magazines, radio, TV, blogs -- is the backbone of any true democracy (and a vital watchdog on business). Sasa Vucinic, a journalist from Belgrade, talks about his new fund, which supports media by selling "free press bonds."

A free press -- papers, magazines, radio, TV, blogs -- is the backbone of any true democracy (and a vital watchdog on business). Sasa Vucinic, a journalist from Belgrade, talks about his new fund, which supports media by selling "free press bonds."

Why we should invest in a free press

True democracy depends on a free press, yet 83 percent of the world lives without independent media and often cannot access unfiltered information. Funding outlets through sustainable, business-focused loans instead of short-term grants has helped keep independent voices alive, even under repressive regimes. In one decade, $40 million in affordable financing reached media companies across 17 countries, boasting a 97 percent repayment rate. The next frontier is to create new fundraising tools like 'press freedom bonds' so that social causes can tap into market investment, not just philanthropy.