The rise of hedge fund control: redefining three eras of newspaper ownership patterns

Beyond imposing additional financial stress on newspapers, the immediate profit motivation of hedge fund ownership jeopardizes newspaper historic public service mission, potentially posing existential challenges to the newspaper industry and journalism norms. This paper begins by conceptualizing hedge funds as a novel form of newspaper ownership. The primary objective of this study is to identify the conflicts between the mission of journalism and economic motives, such as revenue sources and institutional investment. This paper focuses on conducting a comprehensive literature review and establishing a new field of study on hedge fund ownership in media economics, while also highlighting some research gaps for future studies.