Things are not good in the newspaper industry. The Tribune Company has filed for bankruptcy, The Miami Herald is for sale, The New York Times lost money last quarter, and what is still out there is thinner and relying more on wire services than ever.
I've got an idea. What if newspapers followed the public radio model. What if they relied on subscribers, corporate underwriters, and foundations and made their business providing quality journalism. The problem, as I see it, is there is this constant tension between the editorial and advertising side. If you can't sell ads you can't produce the news and if you aren't producing quality news the advertisers will stay away. Of course, the advertisers stay away for other reasons too but without an independent press this country will suffer.
So, I'm not proposing a government bailout but a public rescue of a industry that keeps our country safe, strong, honest, and sane.
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