US Colleges and Universities hold a huge competitive advantage over institutions of higher education in other parts of the world. In many ways we have cornered the market on what is considered the key credential for most young people making their way in the world - a college degree. But rapidly rising costs and competition from a variety of institutions has prompted many to question the value of a college degree and development of several alternatives. A recent post at the Atlantic describes attempts from media companies to enter the fray. It's clear that they are in the business of communicating information about important topics, that they have very knowledgeable people who are good communicators to do so, and they have many well-developed, widely recognized platforms for disseminating information. I know that I use lots of material from the media in my courses - I surely don't have the resources to create what they've been able to create. Right now, it doesn't make sense for me to try. But what happens if media companies start competing or charging for that information? What is it about Universities that makes us uniquely equipped to educate young people? Just because it's always been that way doesn't mean it will always be that way. The self-introspection has prompted lots of innovation. It's a bit scary, but an exciting time to hold a position at a university...