Extra! Extra! Newspapers Need an Overhaul, Not a "Rescue Plan"

Ever been to those "The Future of Journalism" media panels? They sound more like "Old Scribes Mourn the Past" panels. And the panelists invariably look like Statler & Waldorf, the two old Muppets sitting in the opera box seats.

The Journalism Establishment has a tough time seeing new media as its own freestanding opportunity. Instead, new media is a "crisis" to cope with. The coping mechanism is "How do we stop our print-related revenue from hemorrhaging!?!," instead of "Here are some terrific platforms we can exploit to transform news reporting and consumption!"

"The Internet promotes self-expression and citizen journalism," the Old Guard mumbles in lip-service homage to new media. That's talking the talk. But they don't always walk the walk, by skillfully transforming their enterprise -- until it's too late.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The Rocky Mountain News. The Baltimore Examiner. The San Francisco Chronicle. All have gone kaput, by either ending daily publication or announcing their imminent demise. A few other papers, including those owned by the Tribune Company, have filed for bankruptcy or ordered severe cutbacks. And NYT has threatened to sell off the Boston Globe.

Now Congress may Detroit the newspaper biz - it's contemplating a rescue plan of sorts. In a letter to the "Boston Globe family," Sen. John Kerry declared his determination to help save newspapers. The Newspaper Revitalization Act would allow newspapers to operate as non-profits, if they choose, under 501(c)(3) status for educational purposes, similar to public broadcasting.

But any viable rescue plan for newspapers MUST integrate new media in their operations from bottom up, rather than "tack on" new media as an afterthought to failing operations. It's not about improving entrenched systems, it's about re-booting the system entirely. But Statler & Waldorf, of course, are wedded to tired business models, dated industry practices, and old ideas of prestige.

Minutes ago, the Pulitzer committee announced this year's winners. It is 2009, people. But the Pulitzer Prize committee has just broadened its awards to include online-only publications (devoted to original news reporting)!

Hmmm.... makes you wonder. This industry doesn't need a "rescue plan," so much as an overhaul.

Comments

[nefertiti]

I agree . IF they start giving us the REAL NEWS and be neutral and honest and inform the readers then may be we will renew our subscription to the Papers so far their bias is unbelievable and some of their articles are B... others take us for idiots . we can go to other sites on the net and find the news for ourselves thank YOu . in America , the Media sounds it has been written in Tel Aviv , and in the Arab Countries (where im from ) Most columnists seem to work for the presidents , kings and princes .

[rmabelis]

Of course if there is no marketing mechanism possible what other choice does one have other than to give away content for free. The problem with newspapers and new media is that no one has yet figured out how to make money from new media. Indeed there doesn't seem any way possible to make money from new media. Thus the resistance to new media from old media. News people want us to know will be given away for free. Unfortunately selling this news was the source of income newspapers used to get news people did not want us to know. So now we have no way of financing the getting of news people don't want us to know. That is the dilemma of the modern news organization.

[Solja]

I'll be the first to say it, "LET.THEM.FAIL. NO.BAILOUT.FOR.NEWSPAPERS."

I am in support of the President's bailouts for both the auto industry and the banks. But the newspapers? NO! I don't have a problem with their status being changed to help them survive, but I am totally against giving them a cash bailout. Maybe if some of them go away, there will be more dense pick of journalists to step up journalism as a whole. Currently, it's a waste of hard earned money for more commentary, opinion and gossip. You have to dig through every newspaper to find real news.

[cplKlyde]

I think Wiley said it best in today's Non Sequitor "Thou Shall not give away content for free!"

[Richard M. Benjamin - Huffpost Blogger]

he he.