Podcast: Play in new window
In this episode of the Decentered Media Podcast, Rob Watson is joined by Ciarán Murray, CEO and founder of the Olas Foundation, to explore how decentralised technologies are being used to challenge the structural weaknesses of traditional journalism. It’s a wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion that asks what happens when we reframe journalism not as a commodity shaped by advertising and algorithmic logic, but as a public good rooted in transparency, trust, and shared ownership.
Ciarán brings to the conversation a deep understanding of both blockchain systems and media economics, drawing on his background in political science and his experience in the Web3 ecosystem. Olas, the project he leads, is not just another platform. It’s an attempt to build a foundational infrastructure that enables journalism to operate without the distortions of centralised control. But how feasible is it to replace editorial gatekeeping with decentralised protocols? Can token-based systems generate the kind of accountability that traditional institutions claim to offer? And perhaps more crucially, what does this mean for community media, citizen journalism, and local storytelling?
The conversation examines the motivations behind Olas, especially the crisis of trust facing media institutions today. It explores the idea that ownership and influence in media must be radically rethought—less about the interests of corporations and more about mechanisms that empower both contributors and communities. The discussion touches on the design of quality-control processes, the dynamics of crowdsourced funding, and the potential for smart contracts to support transparent, equitable participation. Rob asks how these technologies might support journalists working at a neighbourhood level, or how they might adapt to the needs of emerging media producers who are often excluded from institutional settings.
But this isn’t just a technical conversation. It’s a reflection on values—on what kind of media future we want to build, and who gets to shape it. How do we balance the freedom of expression with the need to resist misinformation and manipulation? What responsibilities do innovators like Olas have in ensuring inclusivity and resilience? And how do we ensure that decentralisation does not become another form of hierarchy by stealth?
In speaking with Ciarán, what emerges is not a utopian vision, but a clear commitment to designing systems that make better outcomes possible. Olas represents a compelling experiment in restructuring the relationship between media makers, audiences, and the infrastructures that connect them. Whether this model becomes a supplement or an alternative to legacy institutions remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that it opens the door to a much-needed conversation about where journalism is going—and who it should be for.
You can find out more about Olas at olas.info, and listen to the full podcast episode on the Decentered Media website or wherever you get your podcasts.