It’s in the P-I. Flicker: GlenFleishman
I never read the Post-Intelligencer, but regardless, it’s a sad day for journalism.
An article in Time Magazine presented the issues fairly clearly. The problems in the newspaper industry are well known. I won’t dwell on it.
Declining print readership means declining revenue from advertising sales. Tough economic times have only accelerated the fall: the decline of newspapers is an inevitable consequence of our digital culture in the long run. The message to papers seems to be “adapt or die.” This is worrisome for a number or reasons. Most importantly: everyone out on the blogs knows that newspaper reporters do a bulk of the real investigative research that’s crucial to the very production of news in any form.
Whatever interactive multimedia form the future of newsmaking takes, it’s absolutely essential that it values quality, professional journalism. Even if I’m the first to be cynical about the media, the fourth estate is crucial. Journalists DO, on occasion at least, expose injustice in society and keep the public informed.
R.I.P. P-I. May others learn from your mistakes.