My reporting continues on a story for Spot.us about the future of the Bay Area’s newspapers in an online world. As you’ve probably already read many times, the San Francisco Chronicle’s owner is looking to cut enough staff, and if it doesn’t it plans to either sell it or close the newspaper. The Rocky Mountain News couldn’t find a buyer and printed its last edition today, leaving open the possibility that the Chronicle won’t find a buyer either.
The news about the Chronicle won’t change my story for Spot.us, but it does add a timely, huge piece of information to it that makes it that much better of a story, I think.
Thursday I interviewed Alan Mutter, a former top editor at the Chronicle who has his own views on it and other newspaper matters. He had some interesting things to tell me about newspapers going online. While newspapers are becoming less and less of a place where people get their news, Mutter said, they or whoever else delivers the news online must figure out a way to make it pay.
One way is to charge for unique content, such as movie or restaurant reviews, he said. From the start of when newspapers gave their content away on the Web, it was a bad idea that wasn’t going to get them anywhere.
While a bit harsh, I’ve always likened it to a prostitute always asks to be paid first before providing her services. Somehow, newspapers have to get paid first for their content.
If the Chron, Rocky Mountain News and other major newspapers continue closing, or threaten to close, it will only send more journalists out into the street, where they’ll look for jobs elsewhere. The news that you now find online for free will either disappear or be replaced by untrained “citizen journalists.” While untrained reporters might find just as much news as a professional, readers might not be able to trust it as much for fairness, accuracy and everything else they get from their daily paper.
Online news sites will pick up some of the slack, such as The Public Press, but there won’t be enough paid reporters to pick up all of the news available in a newspaper.
One way newspapers can get some readers back is to be more interactive and meaningful in readers’ lives, Mutter said, through such sites as Yelp. However they do it, they’ve got to start trying more and better ways to get there. That’s what I’m trying to get at in this story for Spot.us.
Comments (4)
Hi I’m Radar from Claycord.com. Your comments about papers could be replaced by blogs that are run by “untrained citizen journalists.” That’s partially true. However, Claycord.com which is in Contra Costa County and covers mostly Concord and Clayton. It’s run by a guy who goes by the name handle “The Mayor Of Claycord.” He is a former radio reporter who is trained and works hard to be fair and balanced. I’m a trained photojournalist and does some reporting. The site has a good reputation among Concord police and the Concord government. It’s a known fact that reporters from the Contra Costa Times and CBS5 read Claycord and get some of their stories and have quoted from Claycord.com.I just wanted to let you know about Claycord.
I definitely know about Claycord and support what it does. I’m a big fan. I plan to add what Claycord and other local blogs are doing to the story for Spot.us because they offer a micro look at news that traditional media often miss because they don’t have the staff to do it.
I just think that the Times and other mainstream media should doublecheck info they’re running from Claycord and other bloggers to ensure it’s accurate. Not that Claycord doesn’t know what he’s doing, but it’s good to check things out. If your monther says she loves you, check it out.
“newspapers…or whoever else delivers the news online must figure out a way to make it pay”….”Somehow, newspapers have to get paid first for their content.”
REALLY? They HAVE to? In this economy, we’re TIRED of being blood-suckered to death. Why not charge to listen to the radio, as well? Indeed, why not have a neighborhood organization charge us for having peace and quiet enough to sleep in our beds each night? Do you see where I’m going with this? Why is it imperative to charge us for every single thing? As I recall, YOU were the guy asking why DQ was charging extra for nuts and whipped cream…yeah, well, that’s how WE feel being gouged to death and made to pay for literally everything in our lives…stuff that USED to come for free.
http://gawker.com/5167220/at-bleeding-newspaper-management-has-its-way-with-union
above an update
below a comment
you’ve got it exactly upside down when you say newspapers have to check to see if bloggers are accurate. The reality is there is so much bias and conflict of interest in newspaper reporting the public doesn’t have a chance to check jack.
who’s side are you on?
Your obsequious ‘tude toward the myth of newspaper as neutral arbiter of truth is laughable.
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[...] Aaron writes: If the Chron, Rocky Mountain News and other major newspapers continue closing, or threaten to close, it will only send more journalists out into the street, where they’ll look for jobs elsewhere. The news that you now find online for free will either disappear or be replaced by untrained “citizen journalists.” While untrained reporters might find just as much news as a professional, readers might not be able to trust it as much for fairness, accuracy and everything else they get from their daily paper. [...]
find a local newspaper…
Who says the internet is full of garbage?? Great post, I was searching for find a local newspaper and came across it. Glad I did….