Newspapers as charities
Wow, here's something Utah Taxpayers Association lobbyist Sen. Howard Stephenson can get behind: The Salt Lake Tribune reorganized as a non-profit.U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin argues that newspapers are crucial to democracy (hell yeah!) and should be allowed to operate as tax-exempt non-profits along the lines of public radio and TV stations. (During the last year, most papers have been non-profits, but Cardin means something entirely different.)
Under the Maryland Democrat's proposal, newspaper revenue would be tax-exempt, and contributions to papers would be tax deductible.
We are losing our newspaper industry. The economy has caused an immediate problem, but the business model for newspapers, based on circulation and advertising revenue, is broken, and that is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy.Yadda, yadda, pass that hat. Under Cardin's non-profit concept, newspapers would no longer be allowed to endorse candidates. Small loss, since no one pays any attention to editorial endorsements anyway.
As local papers are closing, we're losing a valuable tradition in America — critically important to our communities, critically important to our democracy.
Seriously, Stephenson will be torn about this idea. Though Howard rants about the media "killer bees" every Saturday morning on his K-TALK radio show — as the president of a big-business-lovin' lobby he's got to appreciate one of the few corporate tax-cuts on the horizon.
6 Comments:
It's difficult to feel too sorry for newspapers. Staff, yes. Owners, not really. Two years ago the profit margin, for the most part, was 25-35 percent. Some newspapers more, some a bit less. Thus the phrase coined:
"A license to print money."
Some newspapers remain good. We all know the big ones, but there are many middle-size and smaller papers that are quite good and subscriptions have held steady.
Try looking at papers in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, etc. The communities like them because the papers cover community happenings, including the police blotter, weddings, funerals, business.
Middle-size papers like The Tribune are not making it because no one seems to know which direction to go: local, regional, national.
Purely local is wrong. The front page should attract the reader with an important local story, some good regional stories and the major national/international story of the day.
We don't see innovation at the Tribune. New ideas, new thinking. I really don't think the Tribune has much time. Singleton could sell out at any time - he needs cash. Then, who would buy it and for how much?
The Tribune needs to scrap old ideas. Get ready to drop the print version, switch to online. Carry, say, a Sunday print version filled with good enterprise stories, investigative stuff, book, movie and television reviews.
Keep the online version up-to-date - up-to-minute, actually. News as it happens: deleting some stories only a few hours old and replacing them with new information or something else.
Take a look at HuffingtonPost. A basket full of news that is enlightening, controversial, entertaining.
The Tribune could do that and become, again, meaningful to the community. And, as word gets out, advertisers will take notice.
The problem, as stated above: The Tribune needs new thinking; new ideas; new energy; new guts.
Soon this valley will have but one daily. Does anyone believe the entity that controls just about everything in Utah will allow its paper to go tits up?
Never happen. Think about it.
Democratic Party support for public funding of newspapers -- who would have thought???
No...that makes perfect sense. Newspapers are usually liberal and slanted toward the left.
If I as a tax-paying citizen become owner of the Tribune...I am going to demand some changes:
A citizen editorial board to oversee the newspaper
More balanced political reporting.
Commentary that offers both sides of the issues in equal amounts
Editorials that are approved by the citizen board
Less Mormon bashing
Less liberal skew to the news
Get rid of the Reader Advocate public relations position
Is it really such a preposterous idea? The Trib rides its high horse about preserving the public's Right to Know, but when it comes down to it, newspapers are hung up on their right to profit on the public's right to know. It's the truth behind Trib editor Conway's extensive lobbying at the Hill this past session to preserve the (highly lucrative) printing of legal announcements that the state wants to publicize -- online -- for free.
Glen there is no difference between reporters/journalists that violate their code of ethics by communicating their personal opinions or not disclosing conflicts of interests and politicians/lobbyists that represent their constituents while representing businesses or organizations.
The amusing thing is you are both at each others throats criticizing the other, the classic case of the pot and the kettle.
I am sure Sen. Stephenson would enjoy a proposal published in April 6 edition of The Nation (where else?) for an “immediate journalism economic stimulus,” starting with a $200 annual tax credit for every American to spend on daily newspapers. Or how about federally funded experiments such as converting newsrooms of failed papers into digital extensions of local PBS stations?
The final tally – after subscription subsidies, postal reforms, youth media and public broadcasting – for McChesney’s modest proposal is about $60 billion.
These days, what's a few billion? And there’s a precedent. Right now big bidniss receives tens of billions of dollars in direct and indirect government handouts, including free and essentially permanent broadcast licenses, monopoly cable and satellite privileges, copyright protection and postal subsidies.
Wait, that wasn't real?
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