Queasy Media. Will Journalists Flee Their Profession? Newspapers In Freefall.

Queasy Media

Last weekend I sipped on hot coffee, and with great indulgence, paged through hard copies of the The Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune and  The Wall Street Journal.  How much longer will I have this weekly luxury?  On weekdays, I get my news online...in tense and static moments of free time...bits and pieces between work assignments.  It is so nice to move to the couch, rest my fingers, wrists and tennis elbow, while enjoying the true touch & feel of an old- fashioned newspaper.

The Big Change Looms

1. In a panel discussion I attended recently, an AP reporter indicated he knew of 16 newspapers up for sale.  No takers.

2. According to MediaBuyerPlanner: "A number of newspapers have been on the market for months, including the San Diego Union Tribune and the Austin American-Statesman. The Virginian-Pilot was taken off the market last week when potential buyers could not get financing."

3. Colorado's oldest newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Newsis on the block, even as it approaches its 150th anniversary of existence.

4. The Detroit Free Pressis pushing people to online news by cutting back on home deliveries.

Reporters Are Anxious

I talk to them daily.  I feel their fear.  The economy is speeding up the change we all knew was coming.  Online only. News outlets are building intense infrastructure in cyberspace, each becoming a newspaper, radio station, TV station, podcaster,blog, and presence in social networks.

Exciting, yes.  Frightening, yes.  Convincing advertisers to take the total leap, and thus pay the wages of America's journalists remains to be seen.  I sincerely hope it happens soon, before all the tried and true news people find new professions and simply walk away from the drama.

 

Comments

[Jeannette]

Jeri - I attended a similar panel a couple weeks ago. I could not agree wtih you whole-heartedly. I know several working journalists who are carefully weighing their options and trying to figure out what the next most logical step in their career path might be. Thanks for the great post - we're all thinking it.