Here's a take.

If you've ever thought that the state of #journalism is poor, ask yourself, how are you supporting good journalism?

I'm one of many who decry the Manchester Evening News website for hosting advert-infested clickbait, even amongst it's actual important news on local events, but it's only one of many Reach PLC-owned UK news outlets which are treading water to stay afloat. Quality perhaps takes a back seat to cost cutting.

But in Manchester at least there is hope that there exists an appetite for high quality local news. The Mill is a new local independent outlet which publishes to Substack; it tends to put out two or three stories a week, typically deep dives into little known happenings in Manchester. But their success has only been possible for people being willing to pay for it.

Journalism is important. It keeps us informed. And good journalism can highlight injustice and hold the powerful to account. We need high quality journalism, both local and national. But good journalism must be paid for.

So can I ask, if you can spare it, consider subscribing to a news outlet to support independent journalism.

I'll make a mention of a couple I support as well as The Mill:

The Guardian is one of the flagship UK newspapers and is pretty well regarded by fact checkers.

Private Eye may well have some of the best investigative journalists in the UK who have on a number of occasions exposed horrendous miscarriages of justice including the recent Post Office scandal.