ABSTRACT
This final chapter draws together the multidimensional threats that face journalistic autonomy as news media move beyond the initial period of digital disruption. The challenges differ markedly from nation to nation, even where other democratic indicators are in place. The government of India, for example, is bound by a liberal constitution but has brutally suppressed journalism in the territory of Kashmir. In some situations, journalism is a life-threatening activity. Elsewhere, critical problems with revenue and credibility threaten the quality and value of journalistic effort. A precarious future is assured for journalism almost everywhere in the absence of radical departures from the pre-disruption assumptions of publishers, front-line journalists, and editors. The book ends with a list of potential strategies for defending the press by embracing the necessity of systemic change.
