As local news crumbles, should the federal government intervene?

Columbia Journalism Review ^ | July 8 2020 | Lauren Harris

[rintintin]

Journalism is just one of the industries hard-hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic. While we reimagine journalism’s structures and funding models, what role might the government play in intervening to support the role of a functioning press—not just someday, but now?

In a new report published by the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina, Penny Abernathy—a collaborator on our Cutback Tracker project—underlines the stakes. Since 2005, more than a quarter of the country’s newspapers have disappeared. In the same fifteen-year span, the number of local journalists working in newsrooms has dropped by half. She describes the covid-related recession as a watershed moment. “The choices we make in 2020–as citizens, policymakers and industry leaders–will determine the future of the local news landscape,” Abernathy writes.

In the report, Dana Miller Ervin dives into some of the proposed policies for government intervention in the crisis, noting an attitude shift on Capitol Hill. “Before the pandemic, journalism was seen as a pet interest on the Hill,” Ervin quotes Viktorya Vilk, of advocacy group PEN America, saying. “That perception has shifted now. We’re finally at a moment when conversations [about assistance] are absolutely happening.” Still, the November election presents a time crunch; if interventions don’t happen soon, Ervin warns, they’ll likely have to wait until January or beyond.

Stimulus payments and loans provide one option for intervention, though distribution can be inconsistent and flawed. In late March, Craig Aaron, president and co-CEO of Press Action, wrote for CJR in favor of a Congressional stimulus for journalism. “Now is the time to act,” Aaron wrote. “We need significant public investments in all corners of the economy, and journalism is no exception.” Soon after, the CARES Act was signed into law, with some stimulus money made available to a

[ConservativeStatement]

I am reminded of a scene from Last Man Standing when Tim Allen told a neighbor meteorologist that people can get from an app in a split second what it takes her minutes to explain.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

AW!!!!

Come on guys and gals we need to feel really sad for these aspiring journalists who spent a $100,000 to get their coveted indoctrination/degree in Journalism. Only to find the only jobs available paid minimum wages at their local newspaper.

Our local newspaper is in dire financial straits because they have alienated their subscriber base with constant leftist garbage over the years.

A couple of months ago our local newspaper had to resort to creating a ‘gofundme’ in order to stay in business.

Yep, as you can tell I am shedding no tears for these aspiring journalists who are $100,000 in student loan debt.

[circlecity]

If it was that important the market would support it.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

No Fed Gov/Deep State involvement, please.

[Not_Who_U_Think]

My old hometown paper is struggling and begging for subscriptions. Like you, it’s the only source of common local news since the local AM news/talk station went sports (which must be pretty boring these days :)

But when I read their editorial page, it’s either the daily bilge from AP, or a local distillation of the same Orange Man Bad point of view. I just can’t support it.

To me, it just seems to be a stupid business decision to try and appeal to the same 30-40% of the audience as MSNBC and CNN. And these folks don’t buy newspapers anyway!

[discostu]

Yeah but did they ever really expose corruption before? Sure there’s a handful of high profile ones we think about. But for the most part they were complicit. Everybody knew Richard J Daley was corrupt, but it never got reported. Because Daley knew the important rules. One of which is: put the editors on the payroll.

[zaxtres]

Why are we looking at the Federal government for this answer. Let the free market sort it out and put lillies on the graves of those who fell.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Small town news can come back if they focus on what matters to small town folks.

The problem is that they need small-town advertisers in order to remain economically viable, and the Walmartization of America has torn a mighty chunk out of that.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Why are we looking at the Federal government for this answer?

We're not. A bunch of self-important journ-o-lists who realize they are on the verge having to man Burger King drive-thrus to pay the rent are. (you don't expect them to get REAL jobs now, do you?)

[Vermont Lt]

I don’t disagree. My wife was a local news broadcaster for 25 years. She started with a staff that started at 5 AM and was out reporting until 11 PM.

Now it is all automated.

But it’s not up to the Feds to generate news coverage. That smacks of “state run” media. Who needs that crap—turning over every few years. No thanks.

[cgbg]

The more these anti-white hate media sites close, the better off all of us are....

[Buckeye McFrog]

I went to high-school with a kid (not a bad kid, but always fingered as “weird” by anybody who knew him).

He somehow, inexplicably, got hired on at a major metro daily newspaper as a reporter after college and spent 31 years there.

A few years ago they pulled the plug and closed it. I have absolutely no idea what the guy is doing today as I can’t imagine he was qualified for anything else.

Feel for him personally but I don’t want to subsidize him.

[cll]

“The choices we make in 2020–as citizens, policymakers and industry leaders..."

And that's their whole problem. Who the hell told them that it is their job to set policy? That's when they lost their impartiality and credibility!

[Clay Moore]

“Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let ‘em crash.”

[GoldenPup]

As local news crumbles, should the federal government intervene?

What, so they can continue to print lies, distortions, slander, and fake news? Bullshit, I say. Let the bastards choke and croak on their own bile.

[SunkenCiv]

Local news should try 24 hours, cycling live/recorded segs with their current local weather feeds. They've got those goofy 'extra' broadcast channels and have nothing worth watching to fill them most of the time. The networks' alleged news divisions should use the second channel of their affiliates to run 24 hour 'news' (such as it is) and get rid of their main daily broadcasts and the big-name anchors that go with them, and lose the news porn shows. Any current cable feeds and web feeds they're doing should be the same content as the broadcast feeds. The first one to do that will take over the whole business, or rather, what's left of it.

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[IrishBrigade]

‘I remember when the departed Newark Evening News even had the bowling scores from across N.J.’

bringing back sweet Jersey memories of my days as a paperboy for the dear old Newark News; every afternoon and Sunday mornings...

[The Great RJ]

The death of local newspapers is an inevitability. Back in the day they depended on having subscribers and local advertising to support their weekly newspaper. Subscribers were often those with kids in school as the local paper reported the school news and local sports. Now there are fewer local businesses to advertise and the school news is all online. Even the daily papers that flourished in larger cities have lost subscribers due to their alienating coverage of events and leftist political views. A few hold on with sales of Sunday papers bought largely for the weekly advertising, but that too is dwindling. Newspapers are dinosaurs doomed to extinction.

[Sam Gamgee]

All good new to my ears but sickening they are coming hat in hand. Sorry but we are ALL the free press as far as the First Amendment is concerned. No one ever guaranteed a livelihood for Columbia graduates.

[Sam Gamgee]

Its pretty disgusting how unabashed journalists are asking for a bail out. Maybe no one likes their product?