Slashdot Mirror
Are Newspapers Doomed?
Ponca City, We love you writes "James Surowiecki has an interesting article in the New Yorker that crystalizes the problems facing print newspapers today and explains why we may soon be seeing more major newspapers filing for bankruptcy, as the Tribune Company did last week. 'There's no mystery as to the source of all the trouble: advertising revenue has dried up,' writes Surowiecki, but the 'peculiar fact about the current crisis is that even as big papers have become less profitable they've arguably become more popular,' with the blogosphere piggybacking on traditional journalism's content. Surowiecki imagines many possible futures for newspapers, from becoming foundation-run nonprofits to relying on reader donations to deep-pocketed patrons. 'For a while now, readers have had the best of both worlds: all the benefits of the old, high-profit regime — intensive reporting, experienced editors, and so on — and the low costs of the new one. But that situation can't last. Soon enough, we're going to start getting what we pay for, and we may find out just how little that is.'"
According to the link it contained "tongue-and-cheek" articles. Is that supposed to be "tongue-in-cheek", or is it something else? On second thoughts, I'd probably rather not know.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I used to be a paperboy. It taught me important work ethics & skills, and kept me in shape. When I provided superior service, I made more money. When I screwed up, I lost customers, and I had to replace broken windows and screen doors. I bought my first computer, a Sinclair ZX-81 with money I made on my paper route. (That I returned it immediately, and bought a VIC-20 is besides the point...)
They did away with paperboys and afternoon delivery in the mid-80's. I still subscribe to a local paper. Some nameless faceless carrier delivers it to the soggy ditch in front of my house at 5 am in a car with a noisy muffler. It costs 5x more than it used to. I usually don't have time to read it in the morning. If I think something worthwhile may be inside, it might get carried to work with me. Most of the time it gets tossed up on the porch (where it should have been in the first place...) and left till I get home. At that point, it's stale news, and it often goes straight to the recycle pile.
When I do read it, it's all left leaning opinion masquerading as journalism. All preaching, no in-depth reporting that helps me understand and perform my civic duties. All the reporters come from the same schools of journalism, and think the same way. They're employed by the same large media companies that have the same self-interests, and push the same agendas.
On the upside... There's a Fry's ad on friday.