Journalism or Breitbart: We must choose (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

The Baltimore Sun ^ | July 27, 2010 | Don Rodricks

[abb]

A note to the notably angry, sarcastic American, the "snarlygaster" who, in letters to this columnist or in postings on baltimoresun.com talk forums, expresses glee at the troubles of the U.S. newspaper industry and the hope that the nation's dailies disappear:

Be careful what you wish for. You may end up with Andrew Breitbart.

In the age of the Internet, I keep hearing these assertions, often delivered with cynical excitement: The mainstream media, with its leftist agenda, has become irrelevant to the mass of people, who get the "real news" from television, particularly Fox, and the blogosphere. Newspapers are terminally ill, and nobody cares. Good riddance.

I hear this kind of sentiment all the time, either delivered with acidic glee or patronizing resignation.

Of course, if you are reading this, you either subscribe to a print edition of The Baltimore Sun (we thank you very much) or you're reading online (thank you, but if you could leave a little something in the tip jar it would be appreciated).

So maybe you're not among the snarlygasters. You still feel a need, as a curious person or concerned citizen, to read a newspaper every day, or a few times a week. Perhaps, you've come to trust it like an old friend. Perhaps you use it or its Web version for some specific purpose: restaurant reviews, concert listings, Ravens gossip. Whatever the reason, you're not about to wish that we would fold and disappear, either because you never wish such a thing on any industry, or because you still see the value of a daily newspaper produced by professional journalists.

But a good many newspaper readers — most of them taking the paper free, online — not only enjoy trashing the messenger but wish the messenger would die.

snip

[abb]

They's still at it...

[abb]

ping

[BenLurkin]

[GeronL]

Breitbart has a much better accuracy rating

[Little Ray]

I’d choose Andrew Breitbart in a heartbeat...

[paulycy]

Your post is throbbing...

[DGHoodini]

What a load of Bull! The JournoListers are nothing other than Leftist Fifth Columnists. And just the tip of their cadre. They haven’t turned to dust and blown away...they are still out there.There are lots more like these scum on different private boards, plotting their conspiracies of betrayal of the American People. They should all be hunted down and exposed for what they are.

[A_Former_Democrat]

And where might we find said “journalism” Dan?

From the members of JournoList?

From The Baltimore Sun?

From The Huffington Post?

Kos?

Point us in the right direction, Danny Boy

[EQAndyBuzz]

Question is do you prefer Breitbart or Leftwing apologists?

[McBuff]

[chris_bdba]

I welcome the day when HONEST people like Breibart are the media instead of leftwing lunatic's like Jurnolist lies to us each day!

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Breitbart comes off quite bright after all as more and more comes out about this racist shakedown couple. The Baltimore Sun might still find some older sports readers to take their paper.

[woweeitsme]

Funny how these lib columnists can’t talk about other media outlets that are biased on the other side.

[DGHoodini]

Leftwing apologists = MSM = Journolister “Progressive” fifth columnists = liars.

[abb]

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i172dfa7ecfd6ae9656bab114d1b19084
Consumers Embrace Geekdom
‘Geeks’ are at the epicenter of social/technological innovation — and they’re not adverse to advertising

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg-gatekeepers-20100727,0,7547044.column
The new journalism

http://www.journalism.org/commentary_backgrounder/shirley_sherrod_page
The Reconstruction of a Media Mess
A Look at How One Video Triggered a Rush to Judgment

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/Headlines/tribune-co-s-2007-going-private-deal-bordered-on-fraud-examiner-finds-62111-.aspx
Tribune Co.’s 2007 Going-Private Deal Bordered On Fraud, Examiner Finds

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/Headlines/new-abc-publisher%E2%80%99s-statement-will-count-%E2%80%98branded-editions%E2%80%99-and-nonpaid-%E2%80%98verified%E2%80%99-circulations-62116-.aspx
New ABC Publisher’s Statement Will Count ‘Branded Editions’ and Nonpaid ‘Verified’ Circulations

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/feed/ct-biz-0727-tribune-20100726,0,156318.story
Examiner: Tribune Co. buyout ‘marred’

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Research_25/Not-so-grim-outlook-among-journalists.asp
Not so grim outlook among journalists

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/evening_news_ratings/evening_news_ratings_week_of_july_19_168870.asp
Evening News Ratings: Week of July 19

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=132707
Clients Weigh In On Nielsen Plan To Give Less ‘Weight’ To Internet Households

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=132690
NFL Streams Pre-Season Games

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/company-259407-newspapers-lot.html?pic=1#article-read
Q. It has been suggested that because the same investors have stakes in the Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times, and Freedom, that the Times and the Register will merge once Tribune exits bankruptcy. Is that in the cards?

[Dr. Sivana]

When I was in fifth grade, as a class we all received the newspaper to analyze what it was made of, and to learn about what was then a staple. Indeed, my boyhood home took both a morning and afternoon paper. One of the factoids that I remember is that the most viewed pages of the newspaper were (in order) the comics, the weather, the sports page and then the front page. This was before dilbert.com, where you can sit and read ten years of Dilbert in one sitting, if you like. Before 24 hour cartoon channels. Before weather.com and The Weather Channel. This was before 24 hours sports radio, 24 hours sports TV channels. Front page style news is covered constantly now by all news radio, CNN, Fox News, and Internet counterparts. The coverage by the biggies may be incomplete but is no worse than simply glancing at the front page of the newspaper. If a large chunk of the people weren't terribly interested in the news portion of the paper to begin with, what happens when there are free on-line version of everything from the Alpha Journal down to the Delta Mirror and Epsilon Daily? The most popular parts of the paper are now obsolete. A stock market listing in a newspaper could only be read by Mr. Pert or Mr. Potter. The cash cows (classified ads) are now faint echoes of Internet counterparts (monster.com, craigslist.com, ebay.com). That old faithful friend is getting thinner, shorter. It is withering. The editing (in just a technical, not content sense) is degrading. And all we are told is that we'll miss them when they are gone. For many of us, they ARE gone already. The people who are most attached to the tactile tabloid at the breakfast table may well be dead before the job is finished. Those under 35, I understand, won't miss what they never had. I believe what the author really means is that we will miss reporters like him when there isn't a big central money making operation to pay for the likes of him anymore. Rupert Murdoch, who should make most right-wingers short-lists of men who make media we might be willing to pay for. We aren't paying for his stuff. His pay wall is a failure. We may have to come up with a way to compensate reporters. We may also find out that they don't have to be credentialed with a specialized degree any more than they did in the day when New York City had a dozen thriving newspapers.

Take a look at the 1940's newspaper stories posted here every day. Now compare the text to a current edition of the New York Times. There is no comparison. The newspapers decided to mimick tabloid televison and gossip magazines and web sites in style, and are surprised when they can't compete with them on those terms.

[abb]

http://newspaperdeathwatch.com/
Pressure Cooker Journalism

[netmilsmom]

>>You may end up with Andrew Breitbart.<<

I would love that!

[rockrr]

They's still at it...

And getting more desperate everyday. Can't you smell the fear? Apparently they must have "felt" that we actually bought into the notion that leftists could be biased but conservatives couldn't.

Maybe a few did, but I sure as heck didn't. And that's why they've known as the dinosaur media.

[abb]

We may have to come up with a way to compensate reporters. We may also find out that they don't have to be credentialed with a specialized degree any more than they did in the day when New York City had a dozen thriving newspapers.

Not necessary any more. You and I and anyone with a computer is quite capable of doing the job ourselves. I do it every day with my newsblog. LincolnParishNewsOnline.wordpress.com

[netmilsmom]

How did you get it to do that?

[Col Frank Slade]

How ironic this buffoon writes for the same paper that covers the Orioles.

[Jim Robinson]

Speaking of Rather...

[rocksblues]

I get my local newspaper in order to read the sports section with my coffee in the morning. Then at night I glance through the headline section to see what they are not reporting on.

[abb]

“Tighter than rusted lug nuts on a ‘55 Ford...”

[Nickname]

Hey Dan, say hi to your Journ-O-lista buddy, Thomas Schaller - Baltimore Sun, for us.

[Interesting Times]

Not with a bang, but a whimper...

[abb]

http://newsonomics.com/news-flash-circulation-up-1042/
News Flash! Circulation Up 1042%!

[BenLurkin]

It is an animation at the source.

[netmilsmom]

It’s rockin’!
It makes my eyes all funky.

[BenLurkin]

http://www.johnspeedie.com/healy/eyeballs.wav

[netmilsmom]

LOL!!!
You did! My eyeballs went goofy.
But it was fun.

[Liberty Valance]

[kcvl]

Be careful what you wish for. You may end up with Andrew Breitbart.

That would be a HUGE IMPROVEMENT!

[kcvl]

Don Rodricks

[DustyMoment]

You may end up with Andrew Breitbart.

And, this would be a problem because . . . . . . ????

[Eagles2003]

The Sun is the only paper left in town, they did get one thing right earlier this year, someone said the O’s might break the ‘62 Mets record for most losses in a season.

They are at 10 straight losses, play Toronto tonight and they are 0-10 in the last ten games with Toronto.

The Sun has been shedding jobs for years. Layoffs seem to be never ending and some are larger than others. Can’t be much left, I heard the paper is even smaller and has fewer pages. Dan might be out on the street himself soon if this is as good as he can do.

[Myrddin]

I'll take Breitbart. Honest. Timely. Fearless. His views aren't obstructed by the butt cheeks of politicians.

[RichInOC]

I choose Breitbart. He apparently has higher standards.

[PA Engineer]

not only enjoy trashing the messenger but wish the messenger would die.

Keep pretending opinion is news and I guarantee your paper will be very dead.

[PA Engineer]

That guy gives me the creeps. Why do I get this picture of him hanging out a children’s playgrounds?

[Cicero]

So, what’s a snarlygaster? Someone who doesn’t belong to the Official Club of Political Correctness?

[abb]

Must be some sub-species of ‘curmudgeon.’

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The so-called mainstream news operations are not perfect, but they still generate most of what informs American society today, and they provide content for all the others — Limbaugh and Fox, MSNBC and Jon Stewart.

Certainly, newswire journalism has set the agenda for public discussion since the framing of the Republic since the establishment (or is it Establishment) of the Associated Press. The writer oozes contempt for people who challenge the objectivity of that Establishment. Well, the newswire Establishment claims to be objective, but guess what - taking your own objectivity for granted is a fine definition of not being objective.

For months the newswire Establishment laid huge emphasis on reporting the allegations by Crystal Mangum and Michael Nifong against the Duke Lacrosse team, notwithstanding that any casual observer could tell that Michael Nifong was a bad actor and Crystal Mangum was not a credible witness.

Only with public support of a news culture grounded in the fundamentals of journalism — solid reporting, fair and informed analysis, respect for the truth and the public good — does this democracy survive. Settling for less means settling for Andrew Breitbart.

There is a lot of public support for "a news culture grounded in the fundamentals of journalism — solid reporting, fair and informed analysis, respect for the truth and the public good." Considering how little reality there is behind the pretensions of self-proclaimed "objective" journalism, there is far too much support for it. What this country needs is a massive dose of skeptism directed at those who make such claims.

The wisest and most cautious of us all frequently gives credit to stories which he himself is afterwards both ashamed and astonished that he could possibly think of believing . . .

It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity,
and they very seldom teach it enough.   - Adam Smith