Newsrooms are forming partnerships with prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, even as they prohibit staff from participating in them. Prediction markets have created an opportunity to monetize almost any piece of information, with users betting on topics ranging from the performance of a song to significant political events. Polymarket and Kalshi’s rise has positioned them as potential substitutes for traditional news, presenting challenges for news organizations that are simultaneously partnering with these platforms and restricting staff involvement. These partnerships and the monetization of news have led to ethical considerations within newsrooms. ProPublica recently updated its ethics policy to prohibit staff from betting on news outcomes, reflecting concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Meanwhile, Kalshi and Polymarket are integrating into institutional settings, seeking partnerships to legitimize their platforms. Despite these collaborations, journalists are challenged to maintain ethical standards to ensure public trust in their reporting.
Wagering on News Content Poses Ethical Dilemmas for Journalists
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