Anya Schiffrin: The value of news and the need for statutory licensing regimes

Joint Seminar between LIEPP and the CEPR Media Plurality RPN.

Abstract

Anya Schiffrin (Columbia University) will present her work on The Value of News and the Need for Statutory Licensing Regimes. In this session, we will explore the growing debate around how to sustain quality journalism in the AI age and whether statutory licensing frameworks may offer a viable alternative to sustain this relationship between news publishers and digital platforms. The discussion will address fundamental questions about the economic value of news, platform power, and the future of media financing in democratic societies.

Anya’s work will be discussed by Haaris Mateen (University of Houston). As always, the session will be hosted by Julia Cagé (Sciences Po and CEPR) and will conclude with an interactive Q&A session.

speakers

Dr. Anya Schiffrin is a senior lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and co-director of the Technology Policy & Innovation Concentration. She has written on media trust and teaches on the topic in her course on “Policy Solutions for Online Mis/Disinformation”. She’s edited three volumes on the subject of media capture including Media Capture: How Money, Digital Platforms and Governments Control the News (Columbia University Press 2021).  

Haaris Mateen is Assistant Professor of Finance at the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. He received his PhD from Columbia University in 2023. His research lies at the intersection of finance, political economy, and media economics. In particular, his work examines how media markets shape political and economic outcomes, including research on the financial sustainability of news organizations and the role of media in local public finance. He also works on climate economics and the financial health of local governments.