Comments on: Why Small Town Newspapers Can Survive http://billgx.edublogs.org/2008/05/07/why-small-town-newspapers-can-survive/ Exploring the intersection of technology and the arts Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:04:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Bill Genereux http://billgx.edublogs.org/2008/05/07/why-small-town-newspapers-can-survive/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Bill Genereux Wed, 28 May 2008 13:16:33 +0000 http://billgx.edublogs.org/2008/05/07/why-small-town-newspapers-can-survive/#comment-48 We have a small town daily newspaper- not the one I write for. It tends to be filled with national and international news, less focused on the local content. This model works for the aging demographic that it currently serves, but I don't believe it is a viable long-term strategy. Papers across the nation are struggling to redefine themselves. Young people simply do not tend to read newspapers, and certainly not the national news that can be had for free from online sources. I agree with you that our news sources need to try to be unbiased and present diverse viewpoints. But I think small town papers need to carefully consider what their mission should be and how best to serve their communities. Perhaps providing a local viewpoint on the national issues is a good compromise. We have a small town daily newspaper- not the one I write for. It tends to be filled with national and international news, less focused on the local content. This model works for the aging demographic that it currently serves, but I don’t believe it is a viable long-term strategy.

Papers across the nation are struggling to redefine themselves. Young people simply do not tend to read newspapers, and certainly not the national news that can be had for free from online sources.

I agree with you that our news sources need to try to be unbiased and present diverse viewpoints. But I think small town papers need to carefully consider what their mission should be and how best to serve their communities.

Perhaps providing a local viewpoint on the national issues is a good compromise.

]]> By: NEK http://billgx.edublogs.org/2008/05/07/why-small-town-newspapers-can-survive/comment-page-1/#comment-47 NEK Tue, 27 May 2008 13:10:51 +0000 http://billgx.edublogs.org/2008/05/07/why-small-town-newspapers-can-survive/#comment-47 I do not agree that small town newspapers should print only local news. My town is approx 20,000. Every day the the front page is covered with colored pictures of local citizens doing exciting things like, for example, standing on their front porch enjoying the day. Many times it is of the local children doing an activity. On the editorial page today a high-school kid had a long column all about how he didn't see why it is necessary for people to cut their grass. Some years back Molly Ivins and Pat Olifant were removed permanently from the editorial page because some readers found them to be offensive. Our paper requests daily for stories from veterans---WWII veterans. Rarely are current military service members mentioned. But then we seen to be avoiding any involvement in foreign affairs whatsoever. I feel that this is a deliberate measure to keep our citizens dumbed down---and it does. Most of our citizens opinions are formed by what they are told by their churchs, many of which are fundamentalist. Our newspaper reinforces these opinions by withholding information about the world outside. This town has a Fox News/Rush Limbaugh mentality. I feel it is the duty of even a small town newspaper to inform it's readers of events happening in the world, that whether they like it or not, affect their lives. I do not agree that small town newspapers should print only local news. My town is approx 20,000. Every day the the front page is covered with colored pictures of local citizens doing exciting things like, for example, standing on their front porch enjoying the day. Many times it is of the local children doing an activity. On the editorial page today a high-school kid had a long column all about how he didn’t see why it is necessary for people to cut their grass. Some years back Molly Ivins and Pat Olifant were removed permanently from the editorial page because some readers found them to be offensive. Our paper requests daily for stories from veterans—WWII veterans. Rarely are current military service members mentioned. But then we seen to be avoiding any involvement in foreign affairs whatsoever. I feel that this is a deliberate measure to keep our citizens dumbed down—and it does. Most of our citizens opinions are formed by what they are told by their churchs, many of which are fundamentalist. Our newspaper reinforces these opinions by withholding information about the world outside. This town has a Fox News/Rush Limbaugh mentality. I feel it is the duty of even a small town newspaper to inform it’s readers of events happening in the world, that whether they like it or not, affect their lives.

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