The Supreme Court’s 1945 ruling in Associated Press v. United States identifies a public right to robust, accurate information. Many of America’s most consequential journalists hold this as a core value, viewing it as an individual right to the press, and not simply freedom of the press as an industry. It is a vow that citizens in our democracy will have access to reliable, accurate, comprehensive information in order to empower their full enfranchisement in our democracy; the promise that each citizen has a right to know.

A free press is often heralded as a key cornerstone of American democracy, a vital institution tasked with informing the public and holding those in power accountable. Yet, as the industry faces an existential crisis, with the collapse of traditional business models and the rise of deep political polarization amid a sea of misinformation and propaganda, it has become increasingly clear that thinking of press freedom only in terms of a market that must be protected from government interference cannot sustain the kind of robust, diverse, and accessible press that a healthy democracy requires. This chapter argues that to truly fulfill the promise of a “right to know” for all people, we must reimagine the relationship between the press and the public and consider bold new forms of public support for journalism.