Local newspapers – produced by reporters who live in and know about their communities – are vital to America’s democratic health. But local papers, including dailies and rural weeklies, are being swallowed by a handful of global financial predators.
It isn't only ownership getting in the way. Here in Iowa, an on-line journalist categorized as "liberal" was denied access to the state capitol press corps - until she sued. All she had to do was file the lawsuit and, magically, she was granted a credential to cover the state legislature. Ownership is important, but local journalists are being slammed from more than one direction.
Jim - It's not often that I donate to other than scholarships, food kitchens and low cost housing. I'm making an exception in this case. Thanks for the info.
Jim, thank you for doing this. I just donated $50 to them and I sent this to six other people that I think may make donations. We need to keep newspapers going and we need to support unions.
I feel very fortunate to live in a city that has a newsaper-Cox owned and superb in investigative reortit--the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Since the 50s and 60s, when the editor of the paper risked violence by advocating for civil rights, the paper has been a beacon. Thank you, Ralph McGill.
Even the L.A. Times has had another serious cutback in staff. And it's not because a business syndicate has taken over. A local billionaire has been keeping The Times afloat while it hemorrhages money. The paper has even eliminated sports news. The problem is the loss of advertising and readers to the internet. I truly believe that the so-called information age has produced a higher percentage of ignorant Americans than at any other period in my lifetime.
I love your comments. I live in a small town near Seattle and we are lucky to still have a weekly paper - but it’s not been easy. A good part of the articles are contributed by local residents.
I wonder if newspapers could band together into an Independent News Cooperative for mutual help and prosperity.
I certainly will chip in to the strike fund. But these journalists need to be in together the same way the founders of the online local newspaper Block Club did in Chicago, and start an independent on-line nonprofit to compete with the corporatized Austin/ Statesman.
Sadly, and to the detriment of people's understanding of what's going on around them, this kind of corporate bullying and bottom-lining has been going on for years. As a retired journalist, I think the the best answer is nonprofit/cooperative and employee-owned news organizations, both online and hard copy (for us old-timer types). There's a gaping void in news coverage being filled in by trashy, shallow news-lite and those who want to deliberately misinform the populace for private gain.
When are we going to get together across race, class, and issue to work for decent salaries and pensions, and universal comprehensive health care? None of us is safe until all of us are safe - across the board. What is being tried out in Palestine, with our tax money, is going to come back home and bite us in the rear.
How is it that foreign nationals can own the means of out national communications. Didn't Murdoch have to get his citzenship first? Was it expidited by Reagan?
Jim, A late comment to thank you muchly for this sorely-needed column. I have one question which I've been pondering to no conclusion: Would you say corporations (and their owners) like Gannett are a bigger threat than online "news" sources which pull enquiring minds from newspapers? Gannett DOES at least issue print-based "product" such as the admittedly pitiful daily product they issue in my hometown (Lebanon, PA). But I think you're right in the end--since taking over our Daily News, Gannett has kept the policy of devoting the front pages to local news--"local" to places on the other side of Pennciltucky, that is. And their online version (which they push mercilessly on subscribers) is even more ridiculous: Gannett's advertising for this online "news" product promises it's "Just like your newspaper!" Surprisingly, a non-affiliated group has begun to issue a daily online product for our city (see " https://lebtown.com ") which actually does concentrate on local news. I guess I have some things to learn about modern times too...
It isn't only ownership getting in the way. Here in Iowa, an on-line journalist categorized as "liberal" was denied access to the state capitol press corps - until she sued. All she had to do was file the lawsuit and, magically, she was granted a credential to cover the state legislature. Ownership is important, but local journalists are being slammed from more than one direction.
Jim - It's not often that I donate to other than scholarships, food kitchens and low cost housing. I'm making an exception in this case. Thanks for the info.
We need stronger antitrust laws to breakup malignant monopolies.
Jim, thank you for doing this. I just donated $50 to them and I sent this to six other people that I think may make donations. We need to keep newspapers going and we need to support unions.
I feel very fortunate to live in a city that has a newsaper-Cox owned and superb in investigative reortit--the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Since the 50s and 60s, when the editor of the paper risked violence by advocating for civil rights, the paper has been a beacon. Thank you, Ralph McGill.
Even the L.A. Times has had another serious cutback in staff. And it's not because a business syndicate has taken over. A local billionaire has been keeping The Times afloat while it hemorrhages money. The paper has even eliminated sports news. The problem is the loss of advertising and readers to the internet. I truly believe that the so-called information age has produced a higher percentage of ignorant Americans than at any other period in my lifetime.
Seen it with my own eyes. It's all online. Truth Social, anyone?
Hi Jim,
I love your comments. I live in a small town near Seattle and we are lucky to still have a weekly paper - but it’s not been easy. A good part of the articles are contributed by local residents.
I wonder if newspapers could band together into an Independent News Cooperative for mutual help and prosperity.
Judith Whitney
I certainly will chip in to the strike fund. But these journalists need to be in together the same way the founders of the online local newspaper Block Club did in Chicago, and start an independent on-line nonprofit to compete with the corporatized Austin/ Statesman.
Sadly, and to the detriment of people's understanding of what's going on around them, this kind of corporate bullying and bottom-lining has been going on for years. As a retired journalist, I think the the best answer is nonprofit/cooperative and employee-owned news organizations, both online and hard copy (for us old-timer types). There's a gaping void in news coverage being filled in by trashy, shallow news-lite and those who want to deliberately misinform the populace for private gain.
I live in Peoria, a community of over 150000, we have no local newspaper.
When are we going to get together across race, class, and issue to work for decent salaries and pensions, and universal comprehensive health care? None of us is safe until all of us are safe - across the board. What is being tried out in Palestine, with our tax money, is going to come back home and bite us in the rear.
How is it that foreign nationals can own the means of out national communications. Didn't Murdoch have to get his citzenship first? Was it expidited by Reagan?
I would like to help but gofundme has a dubious history. Are there any alternatives?
Thanks for the upsate
Jim, A late comment to thank you muchly for this sorely-needed column. I have one question which I've been pondering to no conclusion: Would you say corporations (and their owners) like Gannett are a bigger threat than online "news" sources which pull enquiring minds from newspapers? Gannett DOES at least issue print-based "product" such as the admittedly pitiful daily product they issue in my hometown (Lebanon, PA). But I think you're right in the end--since taking over our Daily News, Gannett has kept the policy of devoting the front pages to local news--"local" to places on the other side of Pennciltucky, that is. And their online version (which they push mercilessly on subscribers) is even more ridiculous: Gannett's advertising for this online "news" product promises it's "Just like your newspaper!" Surprisingly, a non-affiliated group has begun to issue a daily online product for our city (see " https://lebtown.com ") which actually does concentrate on local news. I guess I have some things to learn about modern times too...