Model for news will still exist — with necessary changes
Robert McChesney and John Nichols undermine their own argument for governmental subsidies for struggling newspapers [“Subsidies necessary to keep a free press for a free nation,” Opinion, Jan. 17] when they say “there is no known way a free and self-governing society can survive without credible independent journalism.” Because this is true, because news is essential, there will always be a viable economic model for the news industry — if news organizations are willing to make the necessary changes.
McChesney and Nichols claim that government subsidies are compatible with journalistic diversity, and support their view with a survey claiming that the subsidized media of Northern Europe are the freest in the world.
This claim is challenged by American author and gay activist Bruce Bawer, who — after living in Europe for several years — wrote in “While Europe Slept” that “journalistic diversity in Europe is largely illusory and blatantly ideological in its slant and in the selection of events and details. By American standards the [media’s] cumulative ideological range was quite narrow — from one end of the left to the other.”
“Dead tree” journalism — the journalism of the newspaper on the front porch — is indeed endangered. But tens of millions of Americans willingly pay substantial monthly fees for cellphones, cable television and Internet access — and if their only source for the local daily news is via an online newspaper, they will pay for that as well.
— Stephen Triesch, Shoreline
Ben Franklin omitted
McChesney and Nichols got the founding father wrong in their guest column. The correct analysis is to recognize Benjamin Franklin for his guidance of freedom of the press and speech.
Before his involvement with government, Franklin ran a printing business. To expand his printing business he bought a bankrupt newspaper. He had no noble cause involved in printing some kind of truth and instead he printed rumors he picked up in business meetings and at times he even made up his own stories. People liked his stories and his printing business expanded. Newspapers are in the same printing business but are writing stuff fewer and fewer people find interesting.
Most businesses are conducting paperless business as part of going green. Newspapers want to go the other way and print more. Why? Then the ultimate question: Who gets to choose who would get a subsidy — maybe I will start a paper to get a government check.
— Dennis Helgeson, Kent