Opinion: when it come to funding journalism, there are a number of options on the table, from reader subscriptions to State support Facebook's drastic decision to ban Australian media outlets was another twist in a long-running conflict between tech companies and news publishers. While that spat now appears resolved, it highlights the debate about how quality journalism is critical to a functioning democracy. Journalism asks questions of the powerful, exposes corruption, keeps the public informed and provides the first draft of history. Recognising these public goods does not negate important criticisms of news media and dubious journalism practices. The key societal challenge is not bailing out the news media industry, but finding sustainable ways to fund quality journalism. Traditionally, news outlets relied on advertising revenue to cover their costs. Unsurprisingly, this raised concerns about the extent to which business interests influenced the news, a concern that remains central to any discussion about funding journalism.