'Daily Newspaper Industry' - Rest In Peace!
Robert Parry
March 2, 2009
Robert Parry of Consortium News is hitting the nail on the head with his analysis of the problems that North America's daily newspaper industry is facing.
His analysis is also applicable to the Canadians scene, where much of the industry is monopolized by supporters of the political Right. For many of Canada's daily newspapers, their ongoing dishonesty and strong affiliation with the Harper government has left the majority of Canadians who DON'T vote Conservative no choice but to abandon them in droves.
Doing my own little poll by talking to my paper delivery boy, I have found out that of the 28 houses on my street, only 3 get the daily paper. So much for 'the power of the press'.
... twitter? ...
In turning off their TVs and cancelling their newspaper subscriptions, consumers have been saying this for years.
Of course, the people were never, at least in modern times, the target population to be served. No, the target to appease and serve was the power elite.
Posted by Chrystal Ocean | 3:39 pm, March 02, 2009
Capitalism is on the hunt for a new form of media hegemony. Sure some private corps can't afford advertising right now - but the truth is capitalism has realized for some time that the new battlefield for "hearts & minds" (i.e. ideological supremacy) lays in the digital sphere.
Give them time. Industry machinations and self-serving regulatory agencies (CRTC & FCC anyone?) will lay claim to the right to regulate/control domestic blogospheres in the west - blogs will no longer be 'free'! You'll be obliged to include canned advertising!
Just wait. The end of newspapers is but a portent of a bigger battle to come!
(Okay- phew - as Rachel Maddow would say: "now somebody talk me down!")
Posted by Scott MacNeil | 6:50 pm, March 02, 2009
I buy one newspaper a week and it's mainly for the TV listings.
Why wait for a print source for news when it's available 24/7 electronically?
We have shifted away from radio, and newspapers. Television may ultimately come to us via the internet than radio and satellite waves.
Some papers are going the way of the carpet beater, wringer washer, and butter churn.
This writer may be the only of your readers who has in his life crank started a car. It was 1951 or 1952 and it was to start mother's Mayflower!
Times change and we must change with them.
Posted by Anonymous | 7:48 pm, March 02, 2009