...You know your industry is in some trouble. (Not that we haven't already noticed.)This article from Congressional Quarterly lays out the ways in which lawmakers are throwing a lifeline to struggling newspapers. Side note: It's a little odd to see politicians earnestly praising the press as an essential institution; I hope to see the day when it's back to bickering and about quotes taken out of context.
But back to the news -- some of it old, some of it new. Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers have suggested recently that antitrust regulations should be loosened, which could allow publications to join forces or at least pool resources. Then there's the idea of allowing the media organizations to become nonprofits, public radio style.
I'll save my two cents on these proposals for another day. But it's worth addressing the common concern when it comes to congressional action on issues involving the press. That is, how can media organizations keep their independence when the politicians they cover are lobbying for them?
Let's keep one thing in mind here: We aren't talking about a financial-style bailout. These proposals are about making changes to the ways publications can operate. Big difference. The slipperly slope argument is in play as usual, but these days should we be afraid of a frank discussion about how lawmakers could help newspapers on the edge?
No comments:
Post a Comment