Two Philadelphia newspapers filed for bankruptcy today, and Frank Wilson, who used to work on the book pages for the Philadelphia Inquirer, explains why the papers and any other newspapers are in trouble. He says the front page has no news. “One of the abiding problems with contemporary journalism – most obvious in the broadcast variety,” Frank states, “is this insistence on providing commentary on what the rest of us have witnessed.”
I remember the day I lost faith in newspapers. It was during the Clinton administration. I was reading an article in Florida Today (I was living in FL then) about a Democratic education proposal, backed by the president, that had been killed by the Republican majority in congress. The article, which began on the front page as a news story, went on to say that the Republicans did not understand this bill, which was actually a very good idea.
I thought, “That’s not news. That’s opinion. The heck with this paper.” It was my parents’ paper, but when I got my own place I never subscribed. When I got subscription calls, I told them, “Why should I pay you to insult me, when I can be insulted for free anytime I want?”
It was a step on my journey to becoming a Republican.
I don’t remember if I mentioned this before, but the French government has offered to give young people (was it eighteen years old) newspapers for free. They can have any paper of their choice; delivered to their home, for free. (The State will even pay the newspaper the delivery cost.)
– this would seem to be a last ditch attempt to save a dying industry.