feb 5
2009
How to Save Your Newspaper
Next up, Walter Isaacson: How to Save Your Newspaper.
6 comments
What's the obsession with the paper part? Isn't a better idea to save newsrooms? Or, more generally, paid writers?
posted by Kiyoshi Martinez at 4:33 PM on February 5, 2009 
The newspaper in northern Ohio, The Plain Dealer, reprints mostly stories from the Associated Press. I can read these same stories online 2 or 3 days before they are printed. Also, one of the largest coupon inserts will no longer be in the Plain Dealer. This will cause more people to drop the Sunday edition because there are few coupons.
The economy is tough right now. Businesses and people are cutting expenses where they can. But this is a great opportunity for local newspapers to hire more reporters and cover local, regional, and state stories. It's not like we don't have enough news in Cleveland. It seems half the elected County officials are under investigation by the FBI. Instead, the Plain Dealer gives us stories from the AP. This is a lost opportunity for local newspapers to do what they do best - report on local stories.
posted by Bill at 1:08 PM on February 6, 2009
Oh, jeez, the old "newspapers should charge for content after all" saw, somehow made to look like a fresh idea.
The New York times recently suggested turning newspapers into non-profits (which I proposed years ago), but now I'm thinking the end of newspapers as we know it might actually not be that bad an idea.
posted by alesh at 2:05 PM on February 6, 2009
That reminds me, are you getting the Kindle v2?
posted by taulpaul at 9:16 PM on February 6, 2009
Yeah, I think so. The rumors make it would like something I want...
posted by Rex at 9:09 AM on February 7, 2009
Like a sucker, I bought Kindle Mark II, Son of Kindle. God knows when I'll get it.
As to the rest of the meme? News isn't music.
posted by Safran at 1:05 AM on February 10, 2009
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