News is my religion
And I’ve got to have faith.
Newspapers are in a bad way. Layoffs, furloughs, a shrinking newshole driven by shrinking ad revenue. Toll the bells? Turn off the lights?
I have to believe it’s not the end, but a recalibration. I can’t imagine a world without newspapers. Maybe it won’t be the five sections laid out on the dining room table on a Sunday, but there’s going to be something — even if it’s on an e-reader.
Even if it’s a website driving a small print edition for “the old folks.” You know the ones, they’re why newspapers still run TV listings. In the future, they may be the reason why there is a print edition at all. (Note: In that scenario, “they” will probably be “us.” I love flipping through newsprint. Just sayin’.)
The Internet bubble burst, didn’t it? Does that mean there’s no Internet? Does that mean noone makes money from online work? Isn’t that a laughable thought? Of course there are still billionaires in the realm of online start-ups. Of course there will continue to be the need for the Fourth Estate. It’s a necessary informal addition to checks and balances, not only at the highest level, but at local school board meetings and on the scene at house fires.
The media has to change. Most people recognize that. And change is hard. The most frustrating part is not knowing what the result is. So people think journalism is an awful, money-losing, dead-end world. I get frustrated and worried, too, but I have to keep the faith.
Whatever the newspapers evolve into, there will be a need for communication professionals who are good at what they do. Like me, like my husband, like a lot of our friends. Maybe we all need to be more active in that evolution.
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi
