Comments on: Journalists probably can’t save most newspapers

By: pat

pat — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:36:35 +0000

@Miyosho – I like how someone with a fake name thinks he or she (shim?) is going to lecture anyone about being an expert of anything.

I’m not going to stoop to your level, just set the record straight. I have a good ( Web journalism) job, and I’m not angling for anything.

Also, The Pat Thornton Files != The Journalism Iconoclast. Not sure how you missed that one.

Ultimately, I find it humorous that someone from Chicago is upset about a post that mentions Tribune Co. (to say nothing of the mess that the Sun-Times is in) The Tribune has seen better days. We all know that.

Maybe if you guys spent more time innovating and less time attacking the messenger, you wouldn’t be in this mess. But that’s not my problem.

By: contentious.com - links for 2008-04-16

contentious.com - links for 2008-04-16 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:36:10 +0000

[...] The Journalism Iconoclast » Journalists probably can’t save most newspapers “How are these companies going to turn it around? I’ve got news for you — most won’t. Something has to give.” (tags: newspapers news+biz business business+models advertising problems media+evolution tidbits+fodder) [...]

By: Miyosho Hammerhead

Miyosho Hammerhead — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:34:07 +0000

Goddamn you can’t throw a dead cat without hitting into another media “expert” on the Internet who was either laid off or never got into the business out of school in the first place. AND HERE’S ANOTHER ONE! “From Allentown to Chagrin Falls, Pat Thornton’s breathless experience covering Township zoning meetings makes him a media darling of the 21st century! With his towering knowledge, my dinky portfolio and my cat photos, hire him! OH PLEASE GOD HIRE HIM SOMEONE.”
Good luck doing something else. You’re still young. It’s not to late to go find a real career and stop buzzing around for attention, pissing and moaning about you perceive the state of the industry to be,

By: Kiyoshi Martinez

Kiyoshi Martinez — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:48:17 +0000

I’m almost convinced that GateHouse Media (GHS) is headed down the same path as JRC. Huge debt load from buying up lots of small “hyperlocal” publications that are clustered together geographically. Sadly, two of my favorite journalism bloggers work for them (as did I as an intern when they bought out the Rockford Register Star last year).

They’ve already begun cutting jobs at the RRS and the Springfield paper they bought. Top editors left the Springfield paper, but weren’t exactly forthcoming of “why.”

And, yes, their stock price has been tumbling downward and doesn’t show much sign of stopping anytime soon, either. And this will mean more cuts, etc.

Frankly, with that much debt, I don’t see how you can get out from underneath it, especially if we’re in a recession.

But hey, maybe this is good news and will provide that financial catalyst to actually get the industry to change.