I predict 2018 will be the year newsrooms focus on inventing new revenue streams. Journalism has never paid for itself. Historically, it’s been subsidized by some combination of advertising and/or subscriptions and/or wealthy owners.

Look for innovative new ways to finance reporting — and the twist is, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ideas come from journalists themselves, rather than from the business side. Ideas are already bubbling up around audio, syndication, licensing, partnerships, foundation grants, and more. These approaches enable journalists to preserve independence and integrity while allowing for funding that supports critically important work. What breakthrough concepts come next? Stay tuned.