Focus on the people who elect populists

I can already imagine the flood of articles we’ll see analyzing the impact of Trump’s second presidency on journalism in the coming years. And I understand the concern — Trump’s return to power will indeed affect journalism, much like any government that seeks to undermine or attack our profession.

But here’s the problem: When we focus only on defending freedom of speech, we risk painting a narrow picture of journalism. Yes, freedom of speech is essential for journalism to thrive, but it is not the only value that defines it. Freedom of speech is a necessary condition, but it is not sufficient for journalism to exist.

At its core, journalism is a public service. And like any public service, it cannot truly function without engaging the people it is meant to serve.

The outcome of the last U.S. presidential election — and the rise of populist politicians in recent years — offers clear evidence that journalism is failing to meet the public’s needs. Looking at the growing support for populism, we must ask ourselves: What role has journalism played in this shift? Did we address the issues affecting people who keep supporting populism because they feel that’s their last resource?

It’s time to admit that we are not fulfilling our core duty and move beyond our comfortable position of self-proclaimed superiority. We need to start engaging with the public — not just to inform but to listen. We must build diverse communities of readers, extending the limits of our current audiences to reach the people we are failing and pushing towards low-quality information. We need to ask people what they need from us. We need to show them how journalism can be a vital part of their lives, and how paying for news can become something essential rather than optional.

Instead of focusing on the threat posed by populist governments, we should focus on the people who elect them. It’s time to shift our attention away from defending the profession and towards serving the public in meaningful ways.