Journalism is an important piece of our democracy: the fourth estate. However, over the last several years both the economy and the rise of technology have had a negative effect on the backbone of journalism: newspapers. Around the country more and more newspapers are in danger of shutting down, even in large markets such as San Francisco. It is also possible that a large city could be without a newspaper in the coming years. Newspapers in major cities have been able to switch to an online only format, such as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. However, in medium and smaller cities, it could prove difficult for a newspaper to move to an online only format.
According to the Burnt Orange Report, newspaper publishers in Texas are considering sharing their content; this is the possible outcome of editors under pressure to produce news with less and less staff. Local media outlets have covered state and local politics less and less over the years; instead newspapers and television stations have focused on crime. In turn there are less and less journalist covering state politics in Austin, which means that politicians, lobbyist, and influential citizens will be questioned less and less.
Cross-posted from Blue 19th - but this is just a teaser
What passes for a newspaper in Lubbock is toeing the Republican line on Iraq - so the next time you pick up the AJ, that funny stain on your fingers is the blood of our soldiers.
WE HAVE grown weary of the endless political posturing, criticism and squabbling regarding the U.S. presence in Iraq. We are about a month away from Gen. David Petraeus' progress report to Congress about Iraq, and it would be nice if the critics could take a break until we hear the analysis from the military expert.
I, personally, have grown weary of partisan hacks pretending like a couple of weeks is going to somehow make a vast difference in what is going on in Iraq.
Snip
The only ones who can't see the facts are the editorial board at the AJ - who apparently have their heads firmly planted inside of the Bush Noise Machine. Unfortunately, their job is to inform the public, not to misinform them. So not only are they refusing to do their job, they are also being complicit in the deaths of our brave men and women in uniform.
That's unforgiveable for a politician (are you listening, Randy Neugebauer?). But it is completely indefensible for a newspaper.
