Only the first part of the following interview applies to Canadian newspapers. It's good to hear someone else voicing some of my views. I like to say that the Canadian newspaper industry is now too big to succeed. Big corporations like Quebecor have gobbled up vast numbers of community newspapers and now must try to stay solvent while paying off the horrendous debt load they have accumulated.
The future does not belong to the one with the biggest press, the most trucks or the largest building. The future belongs to the organization that can pull together the largest group of talented, well-trained reporters and expert editors, and back their editorial A-team with great tech support. The Internet may prove to be the great equalizer when it comes to news organizations.
I visit the Internet site of my favourite newspaper, which sadly is Quebecor owned, and notice that their online editor may make a rash statement and then ask the reader, "What do you think?" This is not journalism. Bloggers often do more work.
Michael Moore is correct when it comes to advertising. I had an editor admit why the paper would not run an accurate article detailing the problems with the automobile industry's 0% loan programs - 0% loans that aren't 0%. Don't believe me when I say most, if not all, the 0% loans are a ruse? Read the fine print. Or go here, as I do not worry about advertiser support.
Ask yourself, "Why does the local paper accept double truck ads pushing the Amish miracle heater?" And if the local paper applies absolutely no standards to the ads running in the paper, how can we trust any ad running in the paper?
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