Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Harrison McClary wrote on 24 Nov 1998 21:41:12 -0600 > Anyway I wanted to point out that yet another newspaper is closing. > I think it is time we all realize that with the closing of every > newspaper a little more of us all is lost. There are very few 2 > paper towns anymore. This means only one perspective is given the > readers and the people are less well informed. Of the 4 newspapers > and 1 wire service I have worked with over my career 3 newspapers > and 1 wire service are memories only. Doors closed permanently due > to lack of money and readership decline. > > Oh well I guess we can get all the indepth news and information we > need from CNN..........WRONG!! Harrison, I'm glad you brought up an issue which has certain ominous implications. As newer media arrived, newspapers showed a pattern of decline in subscription per household. As well as the number of dailies has declined sharply since the early part of the century. The U.S. Census reports that number of newspapers declined from 2,600 in 1909 to just under 1,500 today. Even tough the total daily circulation is around 60 million with subscription per household of 0.67, each household was getting 1.36 newspaper in 1909. Today, many cities have only one newspaper, and most papers are owned by chains. These new owners, with far-flung and diverse economic interest, have little commitment to local communities. It is possible that they are not likely to be committed to journalistic (watchdog) traditions. The news shouldn't be defined primarily as one of the profit making products in a conglomerate's portfolio. Regards, Kirk Turk