During his nearly six years as a reporter and editor at NBC News, Kurt Chirbas witnessed tectonic shifts in the ways that Americans consume information. Print and broadcast were becoming secondary to social media and other online sources, and public trust in mainstream media began to dwindle.
But since those new information sources usually depend on mainstream print and broadcast journalists to do most of the reporting, he began to wonder how those primary news organizations could survive as the advertising that traditionally supported them migrated online.
“The business model for journalism seemed broken,” says the California native, who also worked as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. “Plus, there’s been a noticeable drop in how much people trust news publishers. I was seeing all these different trends, and realized: instead of being in the newsroom, I wanted to be in the boardroom, helping to decide where the industry was going. I thought getting an MBA would be a good way for me to make that pivot.”
Why Stanford GSB?
The GSB welcomes people with big dreams and willing to take big swings. Its motto can be seen on banners across campus: “Change lives. Change organizations. Change the world.” That values-based approach was something I was looking for.
Given the traditional divide between journalists and the business side of news organizations, did you get any pushback from fellow journalists when you made the decision to go to business school?
No pushback. Some were surprised, but that’s only because they knew how much I enjoyed the job. It’s truly a privilege being a journalist. Strangers put their trust in you to tell their stories, and each day’s a new adventure. You never know what you’ll be covering, or who you’ll be speaking to, or even where you’ll be sometimes. So it’s understandable that some co-workers were initially curious why I wanted to give that up.
But then, I explained my motivation. I wasn’t giving up journalism, but instead, betting on its future. I believe people will always have a need for accurate, high-quality, nonpartisan information. And if that demand isn’t being met, that only creates an opportunity for innovation. I wanted to gain the toolkit from business school, so I could advance that mission in a new way. Yes, I was pivoting from the editorial to business side of the industry, but my end goal was still the same.
Where do you see opportunities to recreate the kind of vital role that traditional news organizations used to play in our democracy?
The big role that needs to be filled is local journalism because so many local papers have been carved out. Many parts of the U.S. are now “news deserts,” or areas with limited local news coverage. That’s a problem because newsrooms play an important civic role. They led to better societal outcomes, like less corruption, less government waste, and more effective institutions.
I see two possible bright spots. First is the rise of artificial intelligence. There are very valid fears that AI could be a threat to journalism. But it could also potentially represent an opportunity. News organizations may be able to pry new streams of revenue from AI companies by licensing their content. And AI tools may actually help journalists to uncover stories faster — for instance, by scraping and analyzing government documents.
Second is the policy landscape. Lawmakers around the world are experimenting with different approaches to support local news. For instance, this past spring, I led a Global Study Trip to Australia. We were researching the country’s News Media Bargaining Code, which offered a new policy framework for supporting local news organizations. It uses the threat of arbitration to make it more likely that Big Tech companies like Google and Meta will pay news organizations for the news content that appears on their platform. Media executives praised the law. Now, California is considering a similar approach. Upon returning from Australia, I decided to conduct an independent research project to assess the viability of this approach in my own home state.
Are there objections to such a policy?
There are hesitations from two main groups. First, there are the Big Tech companies who don’t want to share their revenue with media organizations. They would lose out financially if the bill became law. Their argument is that media organizations benefit more from their platforms than vice versa. When news outlets share content on their platforms, those outlets get more viewers and more clicks and more money.
Second, there are the small news publishers. They are concerned that the bill would benefit large publishers at their expense. They worry that those large publishers would have more leverage in any negotiations with tech companies and, as a result, be able to claim the majority of the money for themselves. The authors of the California bill have been modifying it in hopes of winning the support of those smaller publishers.
How can journalists and media companies combat the ongoing demonization of news reporting by those who might benefit from less rigorous coverage?
Because of the decline of local news outlets, there’s now an even greater divide between journalists and the general population. Many Americans don’t have contact with journalists and may not necessarily understand what they do. For instance, they may not understand everything that happens before a story goes to print: calling multiple sources, confirming information, fact-checking. A bad-faith actor could take advantage of that gap in knowledge.
Stronger local news coverage may help to solve this. Journalists need to be covering those community issues that are important to people and that have a tangible impact on their lives, but also explaining the process it goes through in order to make it to print or air.
Have you found any interesting mentors along the way?
When I first started at NBC, all my experience was in print. They took a chance in hiring me because I knew what makes a good story and how to get people to open up. I had to learn how to shoot and edit video into a good package. I’m thankful there were people who were willing to teach me. The newsroom is a crazy environment, where it’s very fast-paced, and there’s constantly information flying at you. You remember those people who took the time to teach and guide you and give you advice. They gave me confidence and faith that I could excel when I had moments of self-doubt.
Any particular classes at the GSB that have been particularly influential?
The Economics of Media, taught by Ali Yurukoglu. The class helped to provide an academic framework for topics that I’ve lived out during my career as a journalist. For instance, we discussed what happens when new technology is rolled out. We often think these technologies are going to level the playing field — whether that’s the advent of TV or online music streaming — but often, the benefits of those technologies only really go to a few select superstars.
I also enjoyed taking the Action Learning Program courses that GSB offers. In these courses, students are divided into teams and complete a real-life project for an external sponsor. The idea is to mimic the experience of learning on the job. All of these classes were incredible experiences. I had the opportunity to create a launch spec for Twitch, develop policy recommendations for the City of Milwaukee, and suggest a growth marketing plan for StatusPRO, a VR sports gaming company. I gained practical experience and also friendships with my teammates.
Why were you interested in participating in the GSB Show?
When I was in New York, I used to love to go to Broadway shows. I’d work overnight at NBC, then in the morning, go stand in line and buy discounted rush tickets. I loved it. When I got to GSB, I found out that each year in the spring, they held a student-written musical, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. As a production manager, I was responsible for taking what was on the page and trying to bring it to life. We built the sets, helped pick out costumes, sourced the props, and were backstage stage managers. So many times at the GSB people are optimizing their time, doing things that will help them get recruited or advance their careers. But people who do the show do it purely out of love. There’s no extra benefit to it. It’s just a really fun thing to do that brings the community together.
Photos by Elena Zhukova