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Former Daily Times Sound-Off Man, Paul Mulshine bemoans the rise of the blogosphere and the killing of newspapers.
He is a friend but he sounds a little like a buggy whip salesman. And his argument that the majority of people aren't smart enough to do what newspapermen supposedly do so well - condense and analyze the local school board doings - isn't very convincing.
We're as concerned as the next pundit about the future of newspapers, this one in particular. But there will always be a market for news and it will need people who can collect it and then distill it down to its most salient facts.
Given the huge amount of resources that go into producing a newspaper - the trees, the paper, the human effort, and the fuel-burning delivery system - it's amazing so many people still get even some of their news from them.
Romanticizing how newspapermen used to go about their jobs is fine. The world needs romance. But romance has never stopped progress.
The news gathering and delivery business is evolving and electronic media is the future. It's faster, cleaner, and more economical. And there is no reason it can't be as accurate, rich, and fun as the old, dirty newsprint media.
Like anything else, smart people will find a way to make a buck on it and good reporters - and even pundits - a living.
He is a friend but he sounds a little like a buggy whip salesman. And his argument that the majority of people aren't smart enough to do what newspapermen supposedly do so well - condense and analyze the local school board doings - isn't very convincing.
We're as concerned as the next pundit about the future of newspapers, this one in particular. But there will always be a market for news and it will need people who can collect it and then distill it down to its most salient facts.
Given the huge amount of resources that go into producing a newspaper - the trees, the paper, the human effort, and the fuel-burning delivery system - it's amazing so many people still get even some of their news from them.
Romanticizing how newspapermen used to go about their jobs is fine. The world needs romance. But romance has never stopped progress.
The news gathering and delivery business is evolving and electronic media is the future. It's faster, cleaner, and more economical. And there is no reason it can't be as accurate, rich, and fun as the old, dirty newsprint media.
Like anything else, smart people will find a way to make a buck on it and good reporters - and even pundits - a living.
posted by Spencerblog at
7:19 AM
5 Comments:
I'm a blogger who doesn't wish ill on newspapers nor sees them as some kind of inferior entity.
First of all, you're a reporter. You get PAID to report. Show me a blogger making bank and I'll show you a bridge in Brooklyn I'm selling.
Second of all - a guy like me NEEDS newspapers to survive. I get the AP wire on my cell phone, I constantly surf the Internet for interesting stories...how can I lampoon and deride the news if there is no source for my lampooning and deriding?
I understand newspapers are working against the tide of hard times. I worked for a newspaper for about a year - mind you, it as an alternative weekly where the focus was hardcore on ad sales since the paper was free - but I know what it's like.
I also understand it's not bright days for newspapers when the Daily Times is what - 50 pages a day..and costs 75 cents.
I think the boo boo that newspapers are getting from the blogosphere is just hurting more than usual because of the crappy economy.
Hopefully things get better and we can go back to feeding off each other and getting ideas from each other.
Go Newspapers!
Thanks AP
Aaron - I think Gil is a columnist, not a reporter. You worked at a newspaper? You should know the difference. A bit of the Jack talking. I was at Als Firehouse, and now I'm watching Larry King at 3 am. Joel and Victoria Olsteen are his guests. If Joel is doing Victoria, maybe there is a God.
Reporter/columnist..whatever..they're still actually held to some kind of code of integrity. Us bloggers are like the Wild West. I like it that way. Guys like Gil supply the credibility, guys like me and millions of others supply the feedback and additional opinion.
Also - Spiderman and Superman worked for newspapers.
Never heard of a superhero blogger.
- AP
aaronproctor.wordpress.com
Aaron Proctor, Super Hero blogger?
Maybe Randal can be Lois Lane.
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