01
December 2016
Past Event
Kleptocracy and Democracy Debate Series: The Crisis of Big Money Media

Kleptocracy and Democracy Debate Series: The Crisis of Big Money Media

Past Event
Busboys and Poets
December 01, 2016
(Swell Media/Getty Images)
Caption
(Swell Media/Getty Images)
01
December 2016
Past Event

1025 5th Street N.W., Cullen Room
Washington, DC 20001

Speakers:
Jeffrey Gedmin

Senior Fellow, Georgetown University

Martha Bayles

Former Visiting Fellow

Megan McArdle

Columnist, Bloomberg View

Is It Time to Rein in Kleptocrats Who Seek to Dominate the World's Information?

It’s an increasingly prevalent phenomenon across the globe: media companies are being taken over by business tycoons and kleptocrats less concerned with honest journalism than with their own political and financial self-interest. Their wealth itself isn’t necessarily a problem. There are genuine philanthropists now sustaining serious news publications and opinion outlets, and serious investors seeking new revenue streams to pay for high-quality news. But the overall trend is disturbing.

What to do? Are there safeguards that governments can put in place? Does that even make sense in a digital age? How might governmental responses be squared with Western faith in free economic competition? Does that still offer a path forward, or is the global erosion of media freedom best described as a market failure?

On Thursday, December 1, Hudson Institute’s Kleptocracy Initiative hosted the first in a series of debates on kleptocracy and democracy. Featuring Hudson Visiting Fellow Martha Bayles of Boston College and Megan McArdle of Bloomberg View, this event was held at the 5th & K Busboys and Poets.

Related Events
04
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Freeing China’s Political Prisoners
Featured Speakers:
Sarah Makin
Corey Jackson
Frances Hui
Jewher Ilham
Moderator:
Olivia Enos
Getty Images
04
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Freeing China’s Political Prisoners

Join Hudson for a discussion on the situation of political prisoners across China, what the US can do to advance their cause, and potential reforms to Washington’s political prisoner advocacy framework.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Sarah Makin
Corey Jackson
Frances Hui
Jewher Ilham
Moderator:
Olivia Enos
04
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Digital Front Line: Building a Cyber-Resilient Taiwan
Featured Speakers:
Jason Hsu
Congressman Rob Wittman
Admiral (Ret.) Legislator Richard YK Chen
Dr. Anshu Roy
Joseph Saunders
taiwan flag cyber
04
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Digital Front Line: Building a Cyber-Resilient Taiwan

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Jason Hsu for a discussion with Congressman Rob Wittman on the role of cyber resilience in the defense of Taiwan.

taiwan flag cyber
Featured Speakers:
Jason Hsu
Congressman Rob Wittman
Admiral (Ret.) Legislator Richard YK Chen
Dr. Anshu Roy
Joseph Saunders
09
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Southeast Europe’s Growing Role in European Energy Security
Featured Speakers:
Zhecho Stankov
Dr. Robert D. Atkinson
Marius Koeppen
Ruslan Stefanov
Moderator:
Matthew Boyse
Getty Images
09
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Southeast Europe’s Growing Role in European Energy Security

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for an event with Bulgarian Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation President Dr. Robert D. Atkinson, and Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) Energy and Climate Program Analyst Marius Koeppen. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Zhecho Stankov
Dr. Robert D. Atkinson
Marius Koeppen
Ruslan Stefanov
Moderator:
Matthew Boyse
04
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Bad Money: How America Can Solve Perpetual Inflation
Featured Speakers:
Brendan Brown
Alex J. Pollock
Moderator:
Harold Furchtgott-Roth
Getty Images
04
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Bad Money: How America Can Solve Perpetual Inflation

At Hudson, Senior Fellows Brendan Brown and Harold Furchtgott-Roth and Mises Institute Senior Fellow Alex Pollock will discuss the book’s findings and how gold-based monetary reform combined with the increased use of modern analytical tools can help end the inflationary spiral.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Brendan Brown
Alex J. Pollock
Moderator:
Harold Furchtgott-Roth