- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Actor John Cusack Calls for Free Access to News
Cusack argues that paywalls prevent low-income people from accessing vital information.
Published on Feb. 17, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Actor and activist John Cusack joined Sasha-Ann Simons on WBEZ's 'In The Loop' podcast to discuss the issue of news paywalls. Cusack argued that paywalls prevent people making $40,000 a year or less from accessing the information they need, and he called for news outlets to make their content freely available to the public.
Why it matters
Cusack's comments highlight the growing debate around news paywalls and whether they unfairly restrict access to information, especially for lower-income individuals. As more news outlets implement paywalls, there are concerns that vital news and information is becoming gated behind a paywall, limiting the public's ability to stay informed.
The details
During the interview, Cusack said: "If you're making $40,000 a year, you're not going to be able to pay for the information you need." He argued that news outlets should make their content freely available to the public, rather than restricting it behind paywalls. Cusack is a founding board member of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, an organization that advocates for press freedom and transparency.
- The interview with Cusack aired on WBEZ's 'In The Loop' podcast on February 16, 2026.
The players
John Cusack
An American actor and activist who is a founding board member of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Sasha-Ann Simons
The host of WBEZ's 'In The Loop' podcast, where she interviewed Cusack.
Freedom of the Press Foundation
A non-profit organization that advocates for press freedom and transparency.
What they’re saying
“If you're making $40,000 a year, you're not going to be able to pay for the information you need.”
— John Cusack, Actor and founding board member of Freedom of the Press Foundation (In The Loop)
The takeaway
Cusack's comments highlight the growing debate around news paywalls and whether they unfairly restrict access to information, especially for lower-income individuals. As more news outlets implement paywalls, there are concerns that vital news and information is becoming gated behind a paywall, limiting the public's ability to stay informed.
