Despite rave reviews from theater goers and critics, The Hit Broadway show ‘Hamilton’ has sparked controversy. They recently posted an open casting call for “non-white” actors and have been accused of violating the New York City Human Rights Laws a result, despite having a diverse cast. But where was this uproar when Broadway and Hollywood proceed with business as usual, exclude non-whites.
This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.
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Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.
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