Comments on: A journalist’s duty http://thecyberbrains.com/2007/10/12/a-journalists-duty/ Research and contemplation on the future of the mass media Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:55:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jeremy http://thecyberbrains.com/2007/10/12/a-journalists-duty/#comment-114 Jeremy Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:23:08 +0000 http://thecyberbrains.com/2007/10/12/a-journalists-duty/#comment-114 <p>Interesting observation, but I really don't think that even if every journalist subscribed to their local newspaper it would make one bit of difference in a newspaper's bottom line. The problem is economics, but it isn't subscriber economics. What you are suggesting isn't even a Band-Aid fix, it's only a feel-good fix.</p> <p>Maybe I am the only one comforted by the idea that there will always be journalism, I guess, but to me it shows that the craft is stronger than the short-sided herd that runs it.</p> Interesting observation, but I really don’t think that even if every journalist subscribed to their local newspaper it would make one bit of difference in a newspaper’s bottom line. The problem is economics, but it isn’t subscriber economics. What you are suggesting isn’t even a Band-Aid fix, it’s only a feel-good fix.

Maybe I am the only one comforted by the idea that there will always be journalism, I guess, but to me it shows that the craft is stronger than the short-sided herd that runs it.

]]> By: Roy Peter Clark http://thecyberbrains.com/2007/10/12/a-journalists-duty/#comment-112 Roy Peter Clark Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:27:51 +0000 http://thecyberbrains.com/2007/10/12/a-journalists-duty/#comment-112 Thanks for you thoughtful critique of my essay. Like other critics, so far, you argue that it's the journalism and not the medium that is most important, and I agree. But you gloss over the problem of resources. It's not about who makes the highest profits. It's about who makes enough money to improve the quality of public service. "There will always be journalism...." is no comfort. Who will pay to build the news capacity to keep local communities informed. Right now that institution is the newspaper, and until we build its replacement we should work to reform it and preserve its health for as long as we can. Cheers. Thanks for you thoughtful critique of my essay. Like other critics, so far, you argue that it’s the journalism and not the medium that is most important, and I agree. But you gloss over the problem of resources. It’s not about who makes the highest profits. It’s about who makes enough money to improve the quality of public service. “There will always be journalism….” is no comfort. Who will pay to build the news capacity to keep local communities informed. Right now that institution is the newspaper, and until we build its replacement we should work to reform it and preserve its health for as long as we can. Cheers.

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