Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Chronicle to cut staff by one quarter
New media continues to kick old media butt, as shown by the
The blame is on the internet and free services like Craig’s List which cut into classified revenues. But the paper’s website, www.sfgate.com, is in the top ten news sites visited in the
Journalism teacher Neil Henry writes in the Chronicle:
When journalists' jobs are eliminated, especially as many as The Chronicle intends, the product is inevitably less than it was. The fact is there will be nothing on YouTube, or in the blogosphere, or anywhere else on the Web to effectively replace the valuable work of those professionals.
[...]
Idolaters of Web-based news and information sites, "citizen"-produced journalism, and the blogosphere of individual self-publishers, often argue that old mainstays such as The Chronicle are, in fact, getting only what they deserve.
If "old" media cannot successfully adjust to the digital age, too bad, these critics argue. The corporate media were never that good in the first place, they say, and have failed us miserably in the past. There are plenty of alternatives on the Web to take traditional journalism's place, including the millions of bloggers opining about the news, not to mention powerful news aggregators such as Google and Yahoo whose computerized search robots harvest riches of news and other content provided by others -- and generate billions of dollars in annual profits for their owners.
Too bad the internet isn’t revered like the hallowed concept of competition. If it were, reports would hail improved coverage of issues that matter.
But this isn’t philosophy we’re talking about; it’s money. And traditional media is losing.
Are we on the verge of anarchy? Fascism? Nuclear meltdown? Fox News on steroids?
Comments:
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One would hope that this would make more room for the alternative papers. If SF Bay Guardian went to twice a week to make up for the void in local coverage then the reader would end up the winner.
# posted by 
: 5/30/2007 11:13:00 PM
: 5/30/2007 11:13:00 PM
Bloggers won't have anything to talk about without the stories in the paper. That's where bloggers get all the good material!
"Are we on the verge of anarchy? Fascism? Nuclear meltdown? Fox News on steroids?"
Or perhaps none of the above.
It behooves us to have some faith in the intelligence of the American people, whichever types of media we choose in days to come.
I remember thinking how stupid the American public was during the first three years of the Iraq War. How easily they were led by the mainstream media, which was itself so compliant with the wishes of the not-really-elected "President Bush."
But now that the vast majority of Americans believe Bush is an idiot and the War is an obscenity, I once again have faith in the wisdom of the American public.
As should you.
Or perhaps none of the above.
It behooves us to have some faith in the intelligence of the American people, whichever types of media we choose in days to come.
I remember thinking how stupid the American public was during the first three years of the Iraq War. How easily they were led by the mainstream media, which was itself so compliant with the wishes of the not-really-elected "President Bush."
But now that the vast majority of Americans believe Bush is an idiot and the War is an obscenity, I once again have faith in the wisdom of the American public.
As should you.
# posted by : 5/30/2007 11:27:00 PM
: 5/30/2007 11:27:00 PM
KBR just won a huge contract to build detention facilities... for U.S. citizens. You should look it up, the MsM is silent once again.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 12:40:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 12:40:00 AM
"indefensible people"
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
# posted by : 5/31/2007 05:16:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 05:16:00 AM
The proliferation of new media is a wonderful thing. An unintended consequence is that it's taking mindshare away from dead tree-oriented info delivery systems.
Keeping a newspaper going, at least by the traditional model, is extremely challenging these days. I do believe things will bottom out at some point, though, as there's an experience involved with reading a newspaper that other media don't offer.
Keeping a newspaper going, at least by the traditional model, is extremely challenging these days. I do believe things will bottom out at some point, though, as there's an experience involved with reading a newspaper that other media don't offer.
I like the feel of a newspaper in my hand and often admire layouts and advertising. However, buying advertising on a newspaper website should be more accessible to businesses.
The thing is, someone is going to need to be paid to gather and report the news. Few people have the time to go around gathering stories for free.
How the news will be distributed in the years to come is anyone's guess.
How the news will be distributed in the years to come is anyone's guess.
For all the bad things that can be said about local media, its owners and the pitfalls of the individual mediums, I truly believe that all of them strive to offer the public an evenhanded look at local events. Not all of the reporters succeed but certainly the majority of them look at their duty with civil interest in mind.
As we seen with Buhne and Heraldo and others, there is a certain amount of believability lost on readers when all your so-called cards are not on the table. With the TS, the ER, the Eye, the McKinleyville Press and the Journal at least you know where their loyalties lie, who pays for them, how many people they reach and the names of everyone writing the stories.
Only a trusting fool would believe everything they read and when you get all your news from the Internet you lose the value of background.
Just a little something to ponder...
As we seen with Buhne and Heraldo and others, there is a certain amount of believability lost on readers when all your so-called cards are not on the table. With the TS, the ER, the Eye, the McKinleyville Press and the Journal at least you know where their loyalties lie, who pays for them, how many people they reach and the names of everyone writing the stories.
Only a trusting fool would believe everything they read and when you get all your news from the Internet you lose the value of background.
Just a little something to ponder...
# posted by : 5/31/2007 09:25:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 09:25:00 AM
Kevin is right, there is a particular experience to opening a newspaper that can't be matched by the other media. In fact, there's nothing like reading the NY Times on Sunday morning in bed with bagels and coffee. Unfortunately, our bagel place closed down and we have to settle for store-bought down here.
It's small community newspapers like the Eye that will survive. Hometown press is safe.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 10:36:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 10:36:00 AM
What!!Bagels Naturally is out of business?Man I hope not,they make great bagels.
Newspapers aren't going away any time soon.The pulp industry is too big,and the rates that a paper can get for ads,obituaries and such will always allow for some profit to be made.
Newspapers aren't going away any time soon.The pulp industry is too big,and the rates that a paper can get for ads,obituaries and such will always allow for some profit to be made.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 10:59:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 10:59:00 AM
You guys are missing the more important point, except for Fred (for once).
Cutting 100 of the Chronicle's existing editorial staff -- when they already aren't covering, oh, for example, stories about logging, fish, and water quality on the North Coast and in NW California generally -- means that there is going to be a lot less substantive coverage of the issues that matter to people in northern California generally.
There's simply nothing out there, neither in the formerly "alt" weeklies, nor in the "new" media, that can realistically promise to fill even a small part of that hole.
And when you stack that fact up with the already-existing problems of information flow and democratic self-governance -- ie, for one, the fact that most people in our society get most of their information from non-news sources like Fox, USA Today, and People magazine (the "junk news factor"); and for two, the fact that most people now have access to many more bytes of info than they can usefully assimilate and act on, but much less "here's what we need to do to fix this" analysis (the "drinking from firehoses problem"), well, heavy cuts into the basic news-generation institutions is a big problem.
Corporations are perfectly willing to fill these voids with their own PR, including the pernicious Video News Releases Heraldo flags above. One important question is the extent to which NGOs and other grassroots-level citizens' associations can rise to meet the challenge of a disinformed society.
Cutting 100 of the Chronicle's existing editorial staff -- when they already aren't covering, oh, for example, stories about logging, fish, and water quality on the North Coast and in NW California generally -- means that there is going to be a lot less substantive coverage of the issues that matter to people in northern California generally.
There's simply nothing out there, neither in the formerly "alt" weeklies, nor in the "new" media, that can realistically promise to fill even a small part of that hole.
And when you stack that fact up with the already-existing problems of information flow and democratic self-governance -- ie, for one, the fact that most people in our society get most of their information from non-news sources like Fox, USA Today, and People magazine (the "junk news factor"); and for two, the fact that most people now have access to many more bytes of info than they can usefully assimilate and act on, but much less "here's what we need to do to fix this" analysis (the "drinking from firehoses problem"), well, heavy cuts into the basic news-generation institutions is a big problem.
Corporations are perfectly willing to fill these voids with their own PR, including the pernicious Video News Releases Heraldo flags above. One important question is the extent to which NGOs and other grassroots-level citizens' associations can rise to meet the challenge of a disinformed society.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 11:46:00 AM
: 5/31/2007 11:46:00 AM
If the Eye is doing such a great job of (mis) representing the community, then why has its subscriber base shrunk to fewer than 1200 within the city, as Kevin's own legal notices reveal?
# posted by : 5/31/2007 12:25:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 12:25:00 PM
I think 11:46 is off a bit, alt weeklies can and do make a difference. SFBG had Gavin Newsome's number pegged from the beginning as corrupt duplicitous richboy and only now is the Chronicle catching up. It's just too bad we have nothing up in Humboldt approaching SFBG in quality or independence. A real alt weekly has to be free of sucking up to the Democrats like most of the weeklies around here do.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 01:01:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 01:01:00 PM
Buuuut I guess sucking up to the Good Old party is fine and dandy 1:01? Once again people are missing the point.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 02:00:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 02:00:00 PM
boy - what's the point of having a handle if people just use post-times as labels?
The weeklies have indeed done tremendous work, and I expect that they will, as you suggest, do more as the newspaper-owning corporations leave the field.
But do the math. If the SFBG were to, say, double its current editorial staff -- which I count at 69, from editors to interns, including columnists and correspondents -- they would only add two-thirds as many people as are being cut by the Chronicle. And if you consider that the SFBG really only has two (2) reporters on staff -- well, you can see the problem. Doubling those two reporters would doubtless be a real challenge, or they'd already have done it.
Second, your point about the SFBG's leading role on the Newsom stories underscores the fact that we still depend on the big papers to come in and get the goods on the big stories. Without significant resources and a big audience, even the staunchest muckraker may not be able to make much headway against entrenched interests. And without the news staff of the papers, there won't be stories to dumb down for the evening TV news.
The weeklies have indeed done tremendous work, and I expect that they will, as you suggest, do more as the newspaper-owning corporations leave the field.
But do the math. If the SFBG were to, say, double its current editorial staff -- which I count at 69, from editors to interns, including columnists and correspondents -- they would only add two-thirds as many people as are being cut by the Chronicle. And if you consider that the SFBG really only has two (2) reporters on staff -- well, you can see the problem. Doubling those two reporters would doubtless be a real challenge, or they'd already have done it.
Second, your point about the SFBG's leading role on the Newsom stories underscores the fact that we still depend on the big papers to come in and get the goods on the big stories. Without significant resources and a big audience, even the staunchest muckraker may not be able to make much headway against entrenched interests. And without the news staff of the papers, there won't be stories to dumb down for the evening TV news.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 02:01:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 02:01:00 PM
"If the Eye is doing such a great job of (mis) representing the community, then why has its subscriber base shrunk to fewer than 1200 within the city, as Kevin's own legal notices reveal?"
A couple of weeks ago one of the more vicious lieutenants in the People Project started off a conversation with, "You call yourself an intellectual..."
I've never called myself an intellectual, and I'd be the last to say that we're doing a great job. Some disagree, but they just don't know what they're missing in terms of a small-town paper.
If I had the resources to serve this community in depth, then we could perhaps approach greatness on a consistent basis. But we don't, so we just do what we can.
There have been great moments amid the morass of mere acceptability. Mostly I'm happy just to get the rag back from the printers without too many egregious mistakes.
Also, the 1,200 figure has held more or less steady for years. That doesn't count retail sales, nor the unknowable figures for how many people may read each paper or grab stuff from online, read and disseminate it that way.
Historical note: At its lowest, the Union had 2,400 subscribers - twice what we have. We had kicked that up several hundred when O'Dell pulled the plug.
A couple of weeks ago one of the more vicious lieutenants in the People Project started off a conversation with, "You call yourself an intellectual..."
I've never called myself an intellectual, and I'd be the last to say that we're doing a great job. Some disagree, but they just don't know what they're missing in terms of a small-town paper.
If I had the resources to serve this community in depth, then we could perhaps approach greatness on a consistent basis. But we don't, so we just do what we can.
There have been great moments amid the morass of mere acceptability. Mostly I'm happy just to get the rag back from the printers without too many egregious mistakes.
Also, the 1,200 figure has held more or less steady for years. That doesn't count retail sales, nor the unknowable figures for how many people may read each paper or grab stuff from online, read and disseminate it that way.
Historical note: At its lowest, the Union had 2,400 subscribers - twice what we have. We had kicked that up several hundred when O'Dell pulled the plug.
Well at least he admits it, the Eye is not and probably never will fill the shoes of the Union. Arcata needs something different if after 10 years Kevin still can't get the job done.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 05:26:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 05:26:00 PM
Good ridance. I wonder though what will the Times Standard do for copy.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 06:12:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 06:12:00 PM
I can't believe all this Eye-bashing! Kevin, you ARE doing a great job. Don't listen to the bums.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 07:13:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 07:13:00 PM
The 8:55 Comment was me not Greg. I was using his computer and he was already signed in. Anyways, The sentiments are the same.
Oh, I listen to everyone, including the shut-ins. They need to lash out, and if it wasn't me (or Hank, or Joel or some of the other frequent targets) they'd be making prank phone calls or vandalizing mailboxes, so that's OK.
It's all part of life's rich tapestry.
It's all part of life's rich tapestry.
I live in Eureka, don't subscribe to the Eye but pick it up frequently. I very much enjoy it and the contrast to the other local papers. Keep up the good work!
# posted by : 5/31/2007 08:06:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 08:06:00 PM
I enjoy it and appreciate it,but Kevin you tend use it as a tool for your own beliefs too often,and throw in too many personal quirks in your news articles(personal potshots at Kim Starr in People's Project articles,personal potshots at Greg Allen in police review articles,for example.).That stuff should be saved for the editorial page.Try and catch yourself before doing that.
Also,Arcata city council meetings are on Wednesday,so it might be a good idea to try to put the paper out on Friday's at least,so people can catch up on the happenings of the last meeting a bit quicker,instead of having to get the articles on the following Tuesday.
Despite my gripes I do appreciate what you are out to do,and I generally enjoy the paper.
Also,Arcata city council meetings are on Wednesday,so it might be a good idea to try to put the paper out on Friday's at least,so people can catch up on the happenings of the last meeting a bit quicker,instead of having to get the articles on the following Tuesday.
Despite my gripes I do appreciate what you are out to do,and I generally enjoy the paper.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 08:31:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 08:31:00 PM
I guess I should've added get it out to the press ASAP,Friday for instance.But maybe you already do, and Tuesday is the earliest you can get it out,I dunno.
# posted by : 5/31/2007 08:53:00 PM
: 5/31/2007 08:53:00 PM
Esquan particularly enjoys the Eye when they call a small group of penniless homeless people "fascists."
# posted by : 6/01/2007 08:05:00 AM
: 6/01/2007 08:05:00 AM
Kevin was right on regarding the People Project, and also nailed the reasons why a police review board will never get off the ground.
As for the fascist label, it's only been applied to me once. I was in Arcata (of course) and declined to give my pocket lint to the obnoxious young fellow who asked for spare change.
As for the fascist label, it's only been applied to me once. I was in Arcata (of course) and declined to give my pocket lint to the obnoxious young fellow who asked for spare change.
Yep, it's pretty amazing how fast one goes from being "Bro" or "Sister" to "fascist" when the coinage forkover is declined.
As for the applicability of that term to the People Project, well, let's see... they took over public parks and told people their permission was required to be there and to take pictures. They booed and hissed at people who spoke in opposition to their activities at the City Council meeting. Their clique of "leaders" even told some participants whom they could talk to or not. Gee, seems fairly fascistic to me.
"a small group of penniless homeless people"
This is too easy. The PP themselves placed their number at 200, which was of course another lie (I counted 30 to 50 folks at various times). But you're contradicting their lie with one of your own. They had pennies enough for SUVs, vans, cell phones, video and still cameras, Game Boys, dogs, dope, cigarettes and other of life's amenities. If you were there, you saw all that stuff and more. So why pretend?
As for the applicability of that term to the People Project, well, let's see... they took over public parks and told people their permission was required to be there and to take pictures. They booed and hissed at people who spoke in opposition to their activities at the City Council meeting. Their clique of "leaders" even told some participants whom they could talk to or not. Gee, seems fairly fascistic to me.
"a small group of penniless homeless people"
This is too easy. The PP themselves placed their number at 200, which was of course another lie (I counted 30 to 50 folks at various times). But you're contradicting their lie with one of your own. They had pennies enough for SUVs, vans, cell phones, video and still cameras, Game Boys, dogs, dope, cigarettes and other of life's amenities. If you were there, you saw all that stuff and more. So why pretend?
Fascism implies the threat or use of force, I saw none of this from the homeless people and plenty of it from the goon squad called in by Kevin and his City paymasters.
# posted by : 6/02/2007 11:12:00 AM
: 6/02/2007 11:12:00 AM
The cops were called by the neighbors who found turds in their gardens, courtesy the sweet wonderful kind caring oppressed downtrodden tent city fascists.
# posted by : 6/02/2007 11:31:00 AM
: 6/02/2007 11:31:00 AM
So lack of pooper scoopers is justification for jackbooted thugs smashing people's skulls to the ground?
# posted by : 6/02/2007 01:10:00 PM
: 6/02/2007 01:10:00 PM
Since that didn't happen except in your imagination, it's a moot point. There were two dozen cameras there and no photos of any inappropriate force have been produced. But don't let reality impinge on your self-righteousness. It never has.
You guys sit around in your circles and convince yourselves you're oppressed, then make shit up and believe it. And that makes it OK to intimidate people at council meetings, shit in people's yards and demand free food etc.
You guys sit around in your circles and convince yourselves you're oppressed, then make shit up and believe it. And that makes it OK to intimidate people at council meetings, shit in people's yards and demand free food etc.
# posted by : 6/02/2007 01:28:00 PM
: 6/02/2007 01:28:00 PM
A man is having a seizure,yet the cops want to make sure that the crowd stays obedient,so an officer totally ignores what's going on behind his back.And the cops were there for hours before that,yet it still took 10-15 minutes to get the guy some medical attention.If one of the protestors injured an officer,they would have medical attention within a few minutes at most.I'm not defending the protestors here,but since Kevin apparently was,I hope he responds to this event.If I remember correctly,in the Eye,he basically says that the guy was faking it.I sure hope he wasn't(or was depending on how your looking at it).
# posted by : 6/02/2007 01:36:00 PM
: 6/02/2007 01:36:00 PM
Anybody who poops in somebody else's garden should thank God when he or she sees the police arrive.
The presence of the police means the enraged homeowners will not be sending the homeless pooper to an early and eternal engagement with their own little plot of ground.
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The presence of the police means the enraged homeowners will not be sending the homeless pooper to an early and eternal engagement with their own little plot of ground.
# posted by : 6/02/2007 06:39:00 PM
: 6/02/2007 06:39:00 PM << Home
