You make valid points. A few things. Regarding traditional media. I'll put aside the nightmare propaganda we are living through now. If you take media in the US in the 20th century, I would argue things were just as bad then. It has always been a propaganda machine, and always will be. A few examples: FDR was never filmed in a wheelchair. The average American had no idea he had polio. The Vietnam War was sold to the average American as preventing the March of communism, then they lied about casualties, the Tet Offensive, The My Lai Massacre, and the fact that the US was losing. I could go on and on.

I agree independent content producers are critical. That why I worry about their ability to earn. The substack writers who make it are either ostracized legacy media guys or content producers who are earning through subscriptions.

My point is that we're all basically self interested. I'm not sure we'll pay for what we can get for free.