No news is bad news.

| | Comments (0)
monkeypaper.jpgI've become increasingly concerned about the risk to journalism posed by the slow death of the dead-trees-and-adverts model.

The New York Times has a fascinating graphic on the problem here, part of that paper's web efforts, which are extraordinary but don't currently seem to be halting their own decline, as that shows.

There's more in the magnificent Nation, including some controversial ideas on government support. I'm not convinced but it's certainly worth a read.

This isn't some academic concern, nor is it just because I have a lot of friends who work in the media. Increasing evidence is coming out about the substantial real-world costs of these failures. Stumbling and Mumbling quotes a research exercise done into the demise of the Cincinatti Post (via Slugger):

".. fewer candidates ran for municipal office in the suburbs most reliant on the Post, incumbents became more likely to win re-election, and voter turnout fell."

There's your democratic deficit right there. Worried now?

Leave a comment

Your Links At Last

Greens

Other Politics

Media

Environment

Friends and Stuff I Like

If I've forgotten to link to you, let me know. If I don't want to link to your blog I'll pretend I never got your email.

The party's site of which I am rather proud

Along with Jeff (formerly SNP Tactical Voting) and Malc (formerly In The Burgh), I now co-edit Better Nation, a group blog. Stuff will still appear here, but more will be there. Better Nation


Post History

This page was published on April 3, 2009 1:14 PM.

Paint it black. was the previous entry in this blog.

The money-go-round. is the next entry in this blog.