Monday, August 27, 2007

News future -- digital, online and non-profit? Is a non-profit NPR or PBS-style funding model -- combined with Web-only publishing -- the way to make sure communities still have watchdog "newspaper" reporters covering local and national events? A former publisher of a major newspaper today announced the latest attempt to do just that. MinnPost.com introduced itself with a Web address and a note that "a daily brimming with news and insights for Twin Cities and Minnesota readers -- will launch here later this year." The New York Times got the jump on the announcement, explaining the context of newspaper staff cutbacks and buyouts. Former Minneapolis Star Tribune Editor and Publisher Joel Kramer was said to have mentioned the online Voice of San Diego (voiceofsandiego.org) as an example of what he hopes to do. Here's its "about us" page. Paul Bass's New Haven Independent is another city-sized 501(c)3 non-profit, contributor-funded online newspaper started by a former reporter for the local dead-tree media. Finding a model other than traditional circulation and advertising revenue has been suggested in studies of the news business by Phil Meyer, author of The Vanishing Newspaper, and by Charles Lewis, whose Center for Public Integrity produces award-winning investigative reporting. (If I remember correctly, Phil says foundation-support and other non-profit funding may be just a temporary alternative while the news industry comes up with new financial models.) Related: A recent Shorenstein Center study of online news readership concluded that the Web is "a larger threat to local news organizations than those with national reputations," but did not address non-profit alternatives. For more background, see the "digital" section of The State of the News Media 2007. Other "online news" news: I thought the "can bloggers be journalists?" issue was dead and buried, but Michael Skube brought it all up again, prompting a detailed rebuttal by Jay Rosen, who had declared the issue closed a couple of years ago. At least the two essays may serve as a belated introduction to the subject for some students. Another unsettled question of interest to students is the state of the digital news job market, considered there by PBS blogger Mark Glaser, after another point of view from Nicholas Carr. 12:39:44 PM    comment []

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