The Morgue

I can't help but think the death of the newspaper is one big conspiracy headed by a group of international bankers. What better way to infect apathy and spread disinformation throughout the states than to take away the newspapers? A monstrous hoax, greater than anything Mr. Bernie Madoff could pull, has been in the works for decades. The whole situation was premeditated.

I don't know what to say to or about Joe Mathews. If I was an editor for the LA Times what would I do? Well I think I would first be reading the classifieds... But really, what would I do? I have no idea. Jump ship? Completely reinvent the paper? What can be done when there is no money? Well a lot of things -- but we are talking business here. Mathews provides me with very little in regards to my final project. Perhaps completely forget about print? Draw on the readership to help with the hole in the news that is investigative reporting... Forget about breaking news?

The Platform: The Future of News

Osnos raises a practical question, why does nytimes.com give me the news for free? I don't pay a penny for anything I obtain on the internet. The only thing I pay for involving the internet is the internet. If I had to pay a online subscription fee to nytimes.com I most likely would. My loyalty to a particular news org would be obvious.. and this loyalty is a concept I've been blogging about all along. News should be free... but it can't unless it becomes mutant appendage to the federal government.

Osnos advice: Have a monthly subscription fee for my online news project.

Imagining A City Without Its Daily Newspaper

I can't imagine without the Buffalo News. The next best thing for my neck of the woods is the Alden Advertiser... and I would be better off standing outside of the A+ on Broadway to learn what is really going on in town. The death of the city daily is reality.

Our final project does not focus on local news, so I can't respond on the application of this article.... however, that might be the very problem.

A Nonprofit Panacea For Newspapers?

A non-profit model makes sense to me. Who makes the big bucks in todays typical new model? Well no one right now.. but not the reporters or the people in the newsroom. A bigger player is making the money. I don't think reporter would take a pay cut under a non-profit model.

I've heard individuals criticize ProPublica and its endowers... but I could care less that a rich couple is solely supporting the project. Yes, a political slanted whisper can be heard throughout some of ProPublica's stories... however, I've given up on objectivity along time ago. The stories I see on ProPublica I haven't seen anywhere else.

My first step for my own news site would be to write a letter to all the rich people I know. If that is a no go... I would honestly try the non-profit route. Why a non-profit? Why not. Non-profits are apart of the community. People want to know that their money is going directly to the source. People like knowing that their $25 donation supported the article that uncovered asbestos in the local elementary school.