Founder's Message

Activism, and the role of humility in journalism.

It is no secret that traditional media has lost much credibility and trust among the public. Polls demonstrate this, as does loss of market share.

Nevertheless, unfortunately, traditional media remains a potent force in advancing narratives and agendas. Meanwhile, social media algorithms amplify the most popular, and are utilized to spread disinformation.

The professional journalism industry oftentimes obfuscates facts, fails to ask relevant questions, and aims to influence public opinion rather than report the truth.

This form of authoritarian activism, which reflects mistrust of the people, requires not humility, but rather arrogance. Meaning, professional journalists and their corporate hierarchies decide what facts the people should receive; and what narrative the people should believe — because the people cannot be trusted to reach the right decisions.

Commenting on the role of news media, Abraham Lincoln once said,

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended on to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts."

Lincoln was right. Respect for (and deference to) the people, their agency, and their right to make decisions, depend on delivering the facts. This requires humility.

A new paradigm is needed for the creation, distribution and monetization of news — in which news creators replace professional journalists. Kavasu represents an opportunity to correct dysfunctions in the news ecosystem, become a beacon of trust, and drive the news revolution. It is the wrestling of control from corporations and the professional class, by the people.

In order to be better than (and indeed supplant) traditional media, here are a few guidelines that we recommend for News Creators:

• Seek the truth, wherever it leads you. Don't avoid inconvenient facts. Don't avoid "controversial" subjects. "Controversial" often simply means the presentation of facts that conflict with a preferred narrative. But the people deserve the facts.
• Don't be partisan. Avoid agendas. If you want to reach the largest possible audience and establish trust, deliver the news in a non-partisan manner.
• When possible, maintain a professional appearance. Don't wear obviously partisan clothing, for example, hats or T-shirts with a political message. Even if you are telling the truth, the people recognize and filter out partisanship.
• Work on stories that you care about. If you care, you'll do a thorough job. The public will appreciate your passion, your expertise, and your integrity. It will enable you to inform; and monetize your work.
• If you want to have a positive impact and fix the world, just give the people the facts. Defer to the people and their judgment. That is activism, from a place of humility.