dagblog - Comments for "Newspaper bailout? Please no ... but we do need The Watchmen"

Genghis, I agree that one

Bluesplashy — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:03:10 +0000

Genghis, I agree that one does read the NY Times different when reading on line. I did at first and really noticed the different experience. When I moved to the farm and had no access to the Times except on line I learned to read it almost like a I would a real paper. What I am going to try tomorrow am is reading the Times on line while holding a piece a paper in my hand and see how that changes the experience. I think it will stop those fingers from itching to click elsewhere.

...found out that Khamenei

Nebton — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:07:01 +0000

In reply to I refuse to give up my

...found out that Khamenei had publicly rebuked Ahmadinejad...

Pshaw. I learned that this morning on-line ... by watching the Colbert Report. ;)

I refuse to give up my

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:24:54 +0000

In reply to No to government creating an

I refuse to give up my morning paper or my morning tripple-fried chicken with fries.

Seriously though, it's not that I don't enjoy reading online news, but I do read it differently. Case in point: I had no paper this morning, so read the times on line. Clicked a couple of headlines, checked out the international section, bounced over to TPM, redirected to politico, did some dagging, all cool enough.

But it was only way I got the paper later that I read anything in-depth about tax havens, including the big loophole that Obama's plan does not cover, learned about Republican Ray LaHood's qualifications (or lack thereof) for transportation secretary, found out that Khamenei had publicly rebuked Ahmadinejad, and learned that the Marxist prime minister of Nepal had resigned. I don't get the depth online b/c I read shorter articles and jump around too much. And the small, interesting stories often get buried by the most popular stuff. It's not that I can't find them online; it's just that I don't.

That said, the NYT is really the only American paper that offers the depth and the more obscure international stories that I appreciate.

I use them all the

Orlando — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:46:19 +0000

In reply to well it's not dead yet -

I use them all the time--whenever I need to reach something on the high shelf.

well it's not dead yet -

Deadman — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:41:10 +0000

In reply to If the yellow pages is

well it's not dead yet - older folks still appreciate it, and small businesses scared by the web probably feel they have to be there, but when was the last time you used one of those things????

the yellow pages may actually stick around for a long, long time to come - like the phone booth or the VCR - but its use will be so minimal that it will hardly matter - and the earth's trees will be thankful for it.

If the yellow pages is

Orlando — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:19:16 +0000

In reply to maps, phone booths, VCRs,

If the yellow pages is obsolete, how come it keeps showing up on my doorstep twice a year?

maps, phone booths, VCRs,

Deadman — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:19:18 +0000

In reply to No to government creating an

maps, phone booths, VCRs, pagers, yellow pages, floppy disks, TV guide magazine, CD players - the list of products that have been made obsolete or soon to be made obsolete by technology in just the past ten years is neverending, and fascinating frankly. this is just the list that popped into my head. feel free to add others!

No to government creating an

Bluesplashy — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:37:48 +0000

In reply to Newspaper bailout? Please no ... but we do need The Watchmen

No to government creating an investigative 'Watchman' group and even if you put Obama in charge of it still no.

I think people will step up and form investigative organizations.

Unlike Dr. G., I like reading the NYT on line but I have to admit it took a while. If you use the spoon and fork implements to eat with, Dr. G., there is less problem with destroying the keyboard. OR you could get one of those plastic covers. (You may want to consult a nutritionist, or your mom, if you are eating something for breakfast with so much grease on it that it drips on your keyboard).

When I read about newspapers closing, I think about my parents and the pleasure they take in reading the paper. Neither one of them watch any news on TV now (to quote my mom "It is too trashy"). I don't think a large screen Kindle would help them. Because the papers they read serve a rural area I doubt they will close down for a while.

I agree with you, Deadman, and find the idea of a bailout for the newspapers outlandish. I've probably said this here before because I think about it so often, but I wonder what happened to all those companies and people that made typewriters and carbon paper. I don't remember ever hearing a peep out of them when the computers and copies drove them into the dustbin.

I agree the formation of such

Deadman — Tue, 05 May 2009 03:35:17 +0000

In reply to As papers cut costs,

I agree the formation of such a federally funded investigative journalism agency would have to be carefully considered and its independence from government interference and electoral politics even stronger than that enjoyed by the Federal Reserve and the Supreme Court.

I also agree the there is a chance that no matter how carefully you set the Watchmen agency up that it would become a political football at best, and a prosecutorial tool at worst.

But what is the answer if the private market does not step up to provide the means to effectively watch over our political and business leaders?? Or do we just assume that somehow, someway the markets will figure it out because collectively there is so much at stake? Would citizen watchdog groups spontaneously emerge, incentivized by no more than civic duty?

I don't know the answers, I'm just thinking things through. Given how newspapers have already reined in much of their investigative efforts, it could be something we need to figure out no matter what happens to the industry.

For the record, I am under

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 05 May 2009 03:05:41 +0000

In reply to Newspaper bailout? Please no ... but we do need The Watchmen

For the record, I am under 50, down with twitter and blogs and all that, and I f-ing love newspapers. Well newspaper, anyway. It's a hell of a lot harder to find the Times in Philly.

Two reasons why I prefer the paper:

1. I cannot read a web article all the way through. I skim for the point and then get distracted by some other story. The web, for me, is all marquee, rapidly scrolling headlines. I don't know why. NYT.com has the same stories as the paper. I just can't sink my teeth into them.

2. When I try to eat breakfast over my laptop, I get crumbs in the keyboard and grease on the keys.

That said, I recognize that there aren't enough people like me to pay for the distribution.