The New York Daily News, a top ten
circulating newspaper with a rich 99-year history, just fired half of its
editorial staff in a cost-saving measure.
It could mean the end of the newspaper or at least a major dilution in
its ability to accurately and comprehensively report the news of the day. It’s an epidemic that’s been spreading across
America.
It should concern all of us, as citizens, who rely on a strong, free press to hold others accountable. But it also should concern authors on what they can do to get more coverage from the shrinking editorial pages.
It should concern all of us, as citizens, who rely on a strong, free press to hold others accountable. But it also should concern authors on what they can do to get more coverage from the shrinking editorial pages.
So
what happens when a newspaper cuts staff?
·
Fewer
stories get covered.
·
More
fluff fills the pages -- opinion pieces instead of hard news.
·
More
syndicated stories appear, meaning less original, local coverage.
·
The
overburdened staff is bound to take shortcuts, make errors, and be too
stretched to give tender, loving journalistic care to all.
·
Fewer pages are left to cover books.
Will
new opportunities arise? Could the axed
staff, equal in size to the remaining staff, form its own newspaper? Will the rival NY Post get bigger and stronger as a result – or will it follow
suit with a weakened competitor that it will no longer have to keep up with?
It’s
simply not digital vs paper, here. It’s about journalism vs. self-published opinion
acting like news. We need traditional
journalism to survive and thrive. But
when low-budget tabloids struggle it doesn’t bode well for others.
New
York City used to have so many dailies.
Now it’s down to three and one’s broken.
Authors
perhaps can help their own cause.
Instead of seeking book reviews from newspapers who lack the pages to
cover books, authors should seek to get a by-line article published so they can
mention their book in the piece or at least at the bottom with the author
credits.
Newspapers
need to find a way to survive. Some try
pay walls. Others cut ad rates. Many look to make money from their subscriber
lists. But newspapers will need
donations and volunteers to help them, turning the once-proud press into a
non-profit enterprise.
Or
maybe newspapers should be paid for by our tax dollars. It wouldn’t be state run, but state-funded,
similar to a college newspaper that gets automatically funded by student dues
but its editorial coverage is not controlled by the school administration,
student government, or any students but the paper’s self-appointed editors.
The Daily News is making
headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
Let’s hope it can stop bleeding red ink.
We have too much at stake, especially authors.
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