A core principle for maintaining journalistic integrity is to treat access as a liability ("poison") rather than an asset. By operating without a dependency on privileged information from powerful sources, a journalist can maintain an independent viewpoint. Paradoxically, this very independence often makes them more attractive to sources, thus increasing access over the long term.
Related Insights
Andrew Ross Sorkin's best sources are often "jilted" individuals—bankers who lost a deal, executives passed over for promotion, or spurned partners. These sources have nothing to lose and are motivated to talk, providing reporters with a powerful, albeit biased, starting point for a story.
Jodi Cantor's careful language on the podcast isn't just caution; it's a strategic necessity. She operates under the assumption that her sources, or even the subjects of her reporting, could be listening. Every word is weighed to avoid giving the "wrong impression" and jeopardizing hard-won reporting access.
NYT's Jodi Cantor explains her focus isn't leaking decisions that will eventually be public. Instead, she uses her limited time and capital to move information from the "secret side of the ledger" to the public side—facts and context that would otherwise remain hidden forever.
The Kyiv Independent serves a crucial, indirect role by acting as a reliable primary source for other international media reporting on Ukraine. This B2B-like function of being a "bullshit filter" against disinformation not only fulfills its mission but also builds institutional trust and brand authority on a global scale.
Accepting a government salary fundamentally changes an advisor's role into that of an employee, creating an obligation of loyalty that compromises intellectual honesty. To provide unvarnished, objective advice to leaders, an advisor must remain financially independent from the government.
Former journalist Natalie Brunell reveals her investigative stories were sometimes killed to avoid upsetting influential people. This highlights a systemic bias that protects incumbents at the expense of public transparency, reinforcing the need for decentralized information sources.
The podcast Acquired strategically avoids sponsors from contentious spaces, like competing venture capital firms, because they don't "feel Switzerland enough." This principle of partnering with neutral, respected leaders ensures their sponsor choices don't alienate listeners or compromise their editorial independence.
The Kyiv Independent deliberately keeps its journalism free, not just for mission impact, but as a core trust-building strategy. As a young outlet from Ukraine, a paywall would be an obstacle, preventing potential readers from vetting their quality and overcoming skepticism about their objectivity and potential government influence.
When faced with sustained political attacks and threats, a media organization may strategically shift from cautious appeasement to aggressive, adversarial journalism. This pivot reflects a calculation that defending journalistic integrity is a better brand and survival strategy than attempting to placate a hostile political actor.
The NYT CEO sees the widespread belief in the need for shared facts, even among political opponents, as a powerful market driver. This demand for independent reporting creates a durable business model, despite low overall trust in institutions.
