BigTentUSA brought together an incredible audience for a powerful conversation about how media paywalls, profit models, and political pressures are shaping what Americans see—and don’t see—in the news.
Our panelists, Daniella Ballou-Aares of Leadership Now Project and Heidi Przybyla of Get Real News, unpacked the growing tensions between political power, corporate media, and democracy itself. From newsroom crackdowns to the dangers of media consolidation, they explored how misinformation spreads when access to trusted journalism is limited—and why rebuilding public trust starts with reimagining how news is funded and shared.
The discussion also offered hope: independent media is rising to meet the moment—harnessing the reach of social media influencers, the power of new technologies like AI, and the energy of engaged audiences to deliver thoughtful, fact-based reporting that connects with people where they are.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Daniella Ballou-Aares is Founder and CEO of the Leadership Now Project, a national membership organization of business and thought leaders committed to fixing American democracy. She began her career at Bain & Company, working in the US, South Africa, and the UK, then became a founding Partner at Dalberg, where she led the Americas business and helped grow the startup into the largest social impact strategy firm with 25 offices worldwide. Daniella later served five years in the Obama Administration as Senior Advisor for Development to the Secretary of State under Secretaries Clinton and Kerry. Her perspectives have appeared in the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Fast Company, POLITICO, and the World Economic Forum. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a 2014 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Daniella holds an MBA from Harvard, an MPA from the Kennedy School, and a BS from Cornell.
Heidi Przybyla is an award-winning investigative and television correspondent championing new approaches to reporting that put Americans first. A veteran journalist, she has regularly broken exclusive stories on how White House, congressional, and presidential policies affect everyday people. Her reporting has spanned top newspaper, digital, radio, and TV outlets, with appearances on CNN, PBS, NPR, CBS, ABC, FOX, and across NBC News platforms. She was part of a team honored with a George Polk Award, Batten Medal, and Toner Prize for reporting on dark money in the making of the Supreme Court, which was also a Pulitzer finalist. Previously, she was an investigative correspondent at NBC and senior political reporter at USA TODAY, where she led coverage of Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the 2016 presidential field. In late 2024, Przybyla founded Get Real News, a platform using new technologies and independent journalists to deliver reliable local and national news.
