How and Why to Support Independent Media: Book Censorship News, October 2, 2026

“Independent media, especially cultural criticism, is essential in this moment, with the growing consolidation of traditional media paired with acquisitions from private equity and billionaires more interested in profit than media as a collective good,” says s.e. smith, author and cofounder of The Flytrap. All of these things contribute to a bleak media landscape. They’re also contributing factors to a mis- and dis- informed public, as well as a space where book bans and attacks on our public institutions of democracy (schools, libraries, and more) are rampant. You’ll have little problem finding out about a “naughty” book because right-wing papers will spread those stories far and wide for free; you will be a lot more troubled in finding information about a budget crisis at a local library or how folks who aren’t local are attacking the collection at a small library because those stories are too frequently behind a paywall. Literary Activism News you can use plus tips and tools for the fight against censorship and other bookish activism! Despite the challenges and the dwindling budgets we have as individuals, it is crucial to support independent media. Independent media–that is, ou...