News. Clicks. Advertising. Who really benefits?

One of the ideas at the heart of Bigger Than Politics is that fair elections depend on fair information.

If people are making decisions based on misinformation, sensationalism or content designed simply to grab attention, our democracy is weakened long before polling day arrives.

That's why we're excited to share the latest episode from our podcast partners, Media Storm.

Hosted by award-winning journalists Helena Wadia and Mathilda Mallinson, Media Storm is known for asking difficult questions about power, accountability and the forces shaping public debate.

This week's episode turns its attention to something we rarely stop to think about: how the business model behind much of our news influences the journalism we receive.

Most mainstream news organisations rely on advertising revenue. The more clicks they attract, the more advertising they can sell. The episode explores how that commercial pressure can encourage sensationalism, clickbait and opinion presented as fact, while making it harder for journalists to spend time on original investigations and under-reported stories.

Joining the discussion is Richard Wilson, founder of Stop Funding Hate, who explains how the campaign has spent the past decade encouraging companies to withdraw advertising from media outlets that spread disinformation and hateful rhetoric.

That's exactly the kind of question we're asking through the Fair Information pillar of Bigger Than Politics.

Fair elections don't begin on polling day. They begin with the information people use to make up their minds.

If you care about the future of journalism, the quality of public debate and the health of our democracy, this episode is well worth a listen.

Listen to the latest episode of Media Storm.