Grassroots need water, too

I don't imagine it was a tough conclusion to come to, but Alan Mutter at Reflections of a Newsosaur now doubts volunteerism will come to journalism's rescue. He writes:

Although a number of do-it-yourself ventures have embraced modern technology to attempt to fill the void created by the retrenchment of the mainstream media, there is scant evidence to date that any have succeeded to the point that they will support the sustained efforts of professional journalists. ...

Even where the will to go forward remains powerful, there is no satisfactory answer to the practical question of how long talented, capable and motivated individuals can afford to commit themselves to self-assigned journalistic endeavors that so far are not known to have generated any appreciable income for the writers.

Mutter cites the soon-to-be defunct Gannett blog as evidence of this latter point.

Not getting paid is a sure way to spoil just about any job in a capitalistic society.