Save Our Press

DEAR BLOGOSPHERE,

Do you care about the news?

Do you care about democracy?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to either question, then you should care about the health and independence of your local newspaper.

We are witnessing the slow death of newspapers in America, and with them, public-service journalism.

• They are dying because their advertising and subscription revenue can’t support the cost of newsgathering.
• They are dying from underinvestment in their newsrooms.
• They are dying because we consumers want news for free.
• They are dying because our corporations and government don’t like being investigated and are content to watch them wither.
• They are dying because many of us have given up on or have grown cynical about “THE MEDIA,” as if every newspaper employed a Jayson Blair.
• They are dying because they have failed to make themselves relevant as people’s lives have grown more complex and harried.
• They are dying because we lead busy lives, and news consumption isn’t a high priority.
• There are more reasons why newspapers are dying, to be sure, and I would love to hear yours.

Public-service journalism is finished if current trends continue. Yes, I know the newspaper publishes an online edition, but that strategy hasn’t been enough to stop its slide.

Our press is built on strong metro newspapers. Local television and radio take their cues from newspapers. National newspapers rely on metro newspapers for trends, local sources and investigations of local and state institutions.

The entire news ecosystem begins to collapse when metro newspapers go into decline. Corrupt public officials and corporations win.

Join me in brainstorming about whether anything can be done to save our press.