The one thing I have learned blogging is that people really are hungry for information which should mean the business of news gathering and dissemination is a viable enterprise. Online sites like Talking Points Memo, Politico, Yahoo News and even the enormously successful aggregator, Huffington Post receive upwards of 20 million to 40 million page views per month proving that it is possible to survive on ad revenue generated from popular content but I don’t begrudge The World for hoping to supplement its revenue with a pay wall. When my semi-annual hosting fee comes around the thought of charging for content crosses my mind as well but then I don’t view MGx as a commercial enterprise but more as an extension of my social and economic justice activism and I am happy the site supports itself if not also me and my children. (Perhaps I should hire an ad salesperson to pay for an investigative journalist)
The World, on the other hand, is a commercial enterprise and appears to blame declining print subscriptions on the free online access it allowed up until now rather than seeing it as natural customer reaction to an inferior product. Nowhere in today’s editorial by publisher Clark Walworth is there mention of improving the paper. Walworth does manage a dig at bloggers and online social media but he basically suggests the paper provides a quality service as is and readers should pay for it as is. The paper has put out some fine stuff and I make a point to give credit when due and since I don’t read about high school sports and cook offs and cat ladies maybe the paper offers more than I give it credit for but it misses an opportunity to really inform the public when it comes to the port, the county and local councils. It misses an opportunity and it eschews its responsibility as a news publication.
All of the sites mentioned above provide news but one of the most successful, TPM, also provides analysis that goes way beyond reporting what he said, or she said. TPM and to a lesser degree Politico dig behind the story, they fact check the fact checkers. If a study is cited by a member of Congress they find out who performed the study, who funded it, what they have done in the past. They use journalistic resources like those available to Walworth to examine the pros and cons of an issue and they explain both to their readers. Whether you agree with the assessment or not you positively know how they arrived at a conclusion and then you are free to make your own informed decision.
To paraphrase Howard Zinn who once said the measure of a historian is not the history he documents but rather in the details he omits, it is the omissions made by the local paper that motivate bloggers like myself. Everyone has been impacted negatively or positively by decisions made in local boards and all too often I suspect that even those making the decisions don’t always understand the consequences of their actions. The media used to be a watchdog but now, all too often across the country the media act as enablers for ideological rather than fact based decision making. It would appear that papers like The World no longer feel investigative or watchdog journalism can be profitable but if that is true how do you explain the monumental success of TPM and others like it? How do you explain the increased readership of blogs like MGx?
All I can hope is that stories like the planning department fee fiasco or the favors afforded to the Cole’s or the repeated abuse of public meetings law will raise enough questions in the minds of the voters to do their own serious research before November and not rely on the selective reporting of a single paper.
Well Said Lady Mary
I’m extremely disgusted by this turn of events. First, there was no warning. Second, they already rooked many of us who subscribe yearly by 52 papers a year FOR THE SAME PRICE. Now, I notice our so-called paper, which we subscribe to because it does have local issues and events, classifieds etc..is even smaller, with less locally investigated news. Now since they hired Tim Novotny there is this new charge. The paper has gone down significantly since Mr. Walworth has taken the helm. In addition, it is even LESS objective than it had been which would be difficult. The last time we had a fairly decent paper was when Greg Stevens was publisher and Charlie Kocher was Editing it. We will stay with the World until the end of the subscription and then we may decide NOT to take it at all. This is not a PLUS for you advertisers. Many of your products, sales, services are viewed by bloggers. Most will not bother to sign up. I just think you are digging yourselves further in the hole Mr. Walworth! I think your role with the Chanber seems to be more important than producing a quality paper. Oh, for the old North Bend News! Some of us may have to go on to the Oregonian who still used reporters. I’m just truly disgusted!
Mark is right and I have written the same here in the past – demand excellence or The World will continue with the same editorial standards that have seen its subscriber numbers drop. Eventually, hopefully, the publisher will realize the paper needs to appeal to more than just the twenty or thirty business persons he caters to now.
More great media — and this is free.
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcripts/2012/presidential/live/734/?hpid=z2
There’s no reason to tolerate poor reporting — unless you want more of it.
Here’s one part of the media doing its job.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/opinion/the-vacuum-behind-the-republican-political-slogans.html?hp
That’s why I pay for it.
It’s pretty rich that media can say “there is solid conviction behind those falsehoods… how inspiring”. You can’t make this stuff up.
I shall waste my time telling Clark what “news” to print? Are you serious? How about this Brainiac — the truth.
Corporate Maraka killed the press. Period. Remember how Cluster Fox crowed at their “election” of Bush? They mocked every citizen, bragging about “how WE elect the President”? I remember.
Those Bottom Line Feeders are destroying the fabric of this nation, think Lee Ent. gives a rat’s ass about the people of Coos County, effectively having nothing to offer but advertising and business propaganda? Eventually We The People will have to start over and begin what the Founders knew was so important, the reporting of news. It’s critical, and the population will demand it. Just like voting Democrat or Republican in the next election only perpetuates the One Corporate Party which is destroying this nation, I won’t support a local paper that made no attempt to be fair or truthful in it’s reporting of local issues.
No paper is better than supporting this one.
Bến Tre, Vietnam on 7 February 1968.
An unidentified U.S. major said today, “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.”
Has a nice ring to it, huh?
I actually don’t think that fellow had the right idea, but maybe you have discovered his wisdom.
Speaking of the press, THIS is what passes for a national press. On reporting on Paul Ryan’s obvious, multiple lies last night at the convention, this is what the top “newsmen” reported about the lying, and how inspiring it was:
Blitzer: So there he is, the republican vice presidential nominee and his beautiful family there. His mom is up there. This is exactly what this crowd of republicans here certainly republicans all across the country were hoping for. He delivered a powerful speech. Erin, a powerful speech. Although I marked at least seven or eight points I’m sure the fact checkers will have some opportunities to dispute if they want to go forward, I’m sure they will. As far as mitt romney’s campaign is concerned, paul ryan on this night delivered.
Burnett: That’s right. Certainly so. We were jotting down points. There will be issues with some of the facts. But it motivated people. He’s a man who says I care deeply about every single word. I want to do a good job. And he delivered on that. Precise, clear, and passionate.
Josh Marshall
Yes, they are terrible. Don’t reward them by watching. Watch PBS News Hour, not perfect but much better. Watch Soledad O’Brien. She’s terrific.
If you want better media, don’t watch crappy media.
That’s a fair point, Kay.
Here’s a suggestion. Get a citizen’s group together willing to put its money where its mouth is. Provide the World with a list a things you’d like to see get covered or get covered in greater detail. I know the World has more material about County gov’t for instance; why not publish it on the website? Costs much less than the paper product. Would be a good way to pitch website sales too.
Regardless, the citizen’s group provides a list of whatever it is they’d like to see. Then they ALL buy subscriptions for 3 or six months. The World has that long to provide the information service the group wants.
You just have to remember that coverage does not equal content. But there is a distinct relationship between a newspaper and its readers. This could be a way to foster a conversation that would result in better news for residents and a profitable model for the paper.
Just a thought.
If I’m going to subscribe to a site, I’m going to have to make it the Register Guard, or the Oregonian. All the World will soon print will be fed from Salem or Portland anyway. No television news, basically no print news, no local radio other than canned content and the occasional local broadcast. Emergency notification? Where is that? Homeland Security has an office in a North Bend strip mall, perhaps they are working on something regarding emergency notification?
They keep telling us about The Big One, at the same time, television leaves, and the paper is basically worthless already. I’m thinking bigger picture here, we’re just sitting ducks. I think I read up north, they are putting up emergency “pods” for the population when it hits, with emergency supplies, etc. We just had a drill telling us where to run, right?
A functioning press is critical to this nation. We need to support those which work to provide their services, not advertising and business rags which have no basis in reality to begin with.
Another brilliant move by corporate maraka.
The problems the World is facing are not unique to the World. The Oregonian is facing the same financial challenges. Newspapers across the globe are dealing with a radical change in media with the advent of the internet which provides lots of information for free. Unfortunately that’s not a sustainable model. Journalists have to eat too. Like anything else worth having, if you want quality journalism you’re going to have to pay for it in some way. As I said in the other thread, there is nothing new about this. We’ve always paid for newspapers, TV, radio, and the like. A Free Press is not a No Charge Press.
Many newspapers have figured out the survival niche is local news. The Brookings Pilot has done very well with this. The World should take note. The Sentinel has opportunities here too that it is capitalizing on with some success.
Complaining about the media is a popular parlor game for both political extremes. It does little good, serving only to whip up outrage, indignation, and victimhood. As information consumers, we can influence our new media in very positive ways. When you see good journalism, take out your checkbook and support it. Otherwise, you’ll just get what other folks will pay for. Trust me, the Koch Bros would love to pick up this tab.
You missed the tens of millions of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who read Drudge daily. Curt is correct. Those of us who subscribe to both papers know that The World misses most of the news. News isn’t news by the time printed and delivered. Mondays paper is Fridays news. We get six or eight pages of large print, many photos, full page ads (space filler), retread AP stories, local content by trainee reporters, an editorial page full of non relevant crap from out of town and out of state papers. We get a quality local and national sports section. (Gunther should be the editor). And we get a cooking page with the weekly story of Autumn and her husband experience at the local fast food joint. Letters to the editor are selectively published, and if published, weeks after the identical letters are published by the Sentinel. The on line comments are generally not favorable to the paper. Other Lee papers in a similar size market are increasing circulation. The World has been dropping more than 10% annually. It’s all documented at the Lee web site. This is undoubtedly a Lee company wide move. I suspect that this is a local move by Clark to silence some critics. Go back in the papers archives (search Clark Walworth) to find the promises that he made upon arrival – and that he did not keep. My favorite is how he would be visiting all of our neighborhoods to meet us. Seen him in your neighborhood? Not mine either.
The “Worlds” declining print subscriptions are a direct result of shallow, biased “journalism”, and people are tired of it. I never read that yellow rag. Friends had to tell me my picture was in it recently.
Its a pity, really, because it has such potential to be unifying force in this community, a forum for all. Unfortunately, some fragile, bigoted egos dont feel safe in such an environment, and cant allow it. I hope their faithful subscribers dont rely entirely on on this rag for all their news.