The Fate of Newspapers

If you’ve been reading my blog for any period of time, you know that I am no fan of the Los Angeles Times. But, that’s not for any lack of trying. I probably took the LA Times for 30 years. Finally, I’d had it with the biased reporting. Please note that I said reporting, not editorials, columnists, or contributor commentary. I had long since quit reading the editorial section because there was such a lack of balance. My subscription to the paper was cancelled as a protest. The chap taking the cancellation asked me if it was because the paper was too conservative. The LA Times conservative? That was a good laugh. The guy must have been a real left winger, or there was someone with no clue who wrote his script.

That does not mean that I stopped reading on-line my favorite columnist; that would be left-of-center teddy bear Al Martinez. Perhaps a former Marine might object to the characterization as a teddy bear. I don’t think Al will, and I suspect that his wife will confirm my depiction.

So, I am dissatisfied with my local big newspaper, and I have reached out to other avenues for information. I know that many of you have done the same. It is no secret that newspapers are losing market share. Especially, the big liberal newspapers.
In Al’s column today entitled, “To be in the presence of a giant”, he stated:

…newspapering is once more in a crisis mode. I'm not sure what the future holds…

I go on record stating that I do not wish for newspapers to fade from the scene. Newspapers have always played an important part in educating the public, and they should continue to do so. Newspapers have the opportunity to deliver an in-depth examination that is not available in sound byte driver, vacuous television news coverage. Unfortunately, the television people understand the intellectual depth and attention span of the average American, and they provide the public with what it wants.

It is the mainstream media which has the resources to send correspondents to breaking stories. As a serious blogger, I am indebted to those who furnish the initial news reports from all over the world. It is from these sources that bloggers are able to provide analysis and commentary. Without the professional news services there would be a huge informational vacuum.

My wish is that the mainstream media, newspapers in particular, will shake off the predominant liberal-leftist agenda that has seeped into news reporting and leave that stuff in the editorial section and to the columnists where it belongs. I want unbiased reporting and commentary balance. Do that and I will buy their newspaper. Yes, I know that they are getting revenue because I read on-line. But whatever they do, I will continue to read Al Martinez, even though he and I have different persuasions. Here’s to you Al; may your newspaper continue to be profitable and employ you. They can dump some of those other guys.

Update: See the article by Eric Newton, Why you need journalists and they need you.