Newspapers are alive, holding their own online and transforming

Technology executives are wrong about newspapers.

[Bentler]

I like this outlook...seems sensible, from the editor of the Seattle Times:

What newspapers need is new policy — whether that be through a combination of tax structure, strengthened cross-ownership rules or new revenue from search engines — that promotes an independent press.

[seattletimes.nwsource.com...]

[Rugles]

so they want the government to fix their problems

[Bentler]

I think he may be looking for a new legal status for newspapers that's different from purely for-profit business, because obviously journalism has motives that run counter to profit-making (or that should anyway) and objective news organizations provide the foundation for a free and democratic society to function. The new status might carry with it favorable tax advantages and perhaps other fringe benefits. Seems reasonable to me. Our represnetatives get to make the rules and I think this is justifiable.

There's more to the opinion though-- basically he's saying newspapers do generate enough revenue to remain going concerns if they've avoided the consolidation fad, and have great potential to earn greater share of online advertising with the content they produce and own.

[tangor]

Looks like a lead in to government run news sources.

History reveals how well THAT works!

[Bentler]

No, more like new laws I think, which government is responsible for writing, enforcing and judging.

That said, to the extent the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio can be held up as government-subsidized news sources, the results have been outstanding in the US. Nothing like them in the commercial media.