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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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 OPINION 
26

Rather: Prez Must Save Newspapers

Corporate interests, internet advertising crippling industry

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(Newser) – The media's troubles mean that "this country is in trouble," writes Dan Rather, and no academic study or think-tank report is going to save the industry. We need no less than a “nonpartisan, blue-ribbon” presidential commission “to address the perilous state of America’s news media,” and make recommendations as to how to fix it, he suggests in a Washington Post op-ed.

“This is a crisis that threatens our democratic republic at its core,” Rather warns. Corporate values have replaced journalistic values at the “mere handful” of organizations that cover news. Meanwhile, advertising’s flow toward the Internet is sucking the life from newspapers, “the foundation" of hard news, he adds. “If newspapers are taken out of the equation, dwindling news resources will be stretched to the breaking point”—and the Internet’s not ready to pick up the slack, Rather warns.

President Barack Obama needs to establish a presidential commission to study ways to save newspapers, says Dan Rather.
President Barack Obama needs to establish a presidential commission to study ways to save newspapers, says Dan Rather.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather.
Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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We need news that breeds understanding, not contempt; news that fosters healthy skepticism of the workings of power rather than a paralyzing cynicism. We need information a self-governing people requires. - Dan Rather

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26 comments
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Reader60610265
Aug 9, 09 10:14 AM CDT
All newspapers have to do is start reporting the news and not their opinions. Reply
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+2
IN RESPONSE:
flame821
Aug 10, 09 6:16 PM CDT
Newspapers have to evolve just like every other business. The smart ones will make it; the fatty, stuck in the past ones will not. EVERYTHING is changing, the way you did your job 20 or even 10 years ago is probably not the way it is done today with the use of computers, iPhones, bar codes, etc. Best idea I've seen was from a comic strip (NSFW, can't post here) where the newspaper gave free kindles with an internet subscription to their paper. They provided up to the minute news and content to their subscribers, just like many websites do. Maybe the papers should think along these lines.
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+1
Radzyn
Aug 9, 09 10:17 AM CDT
Not just newspapers. The entire media field's in big trouble. We're seeing layoffs left and right all over the country. Newspapers are just hardest hit, but big tv's suffering as well. I actually kind of secretly hope the entire thing collapses, as I don't see us going back to reporting real news ever again. Reply
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+7
IN RESPONSE:
2-bits
Aug 9, 09 10:19 AM CDT
How about we layoff the "left and right all over the country!" I kill me.
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
Radzyn
Aug 9, 09 11:23 AM CDT
not a bad idea
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