Eric Alterman’s article at The Nation seems hyperbolic to me. “The loss of daily newspapers is a significant threat to the future of our democracy,” he says. Really? Maybe it’s a threat to the loss of the democracy controlled by the folks that still read the newspaper.
How many border-town immigrants read their local paper? How many foreign nationals read their local daily? They can go online and fetch the news from their home country. Alterman points out that the youth aren’t too interested in reading the paper either. So, I just don’t get it. How is the loss of the daily a threat to the future of our democracy? Sounds like a threat to the future of Stuff White People Like.
He’s correct to point out the discrepancy between newspaper performance and gigantic executive salaries: “These figures, one can only conclude, are entirely unrelated to performance,” he says. Isn’t that how it works in all businesses, especially in this country? More centralized corporate control means more money for the central controllers. This is its own problem.
The loss of the daily paper is the future of our democracy. Those centrally controlled, corporate-owned media outlets will be replaced by point source information, not necessarily in print, defined by niche readerships. How many types of people own a cell phone? This point source flow of information gives a diverse citizenry relevant outlets, instead of a homogeneous mass of corporate controlled media.
Threat to the future of democracy? Like I said, I just don’t get it. As far as I can tell politics is covered in a section of the paper.
You tell me.
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3 comments:
Strong comment but I like it!
'The loss of the daily paper is the future of our democracy. Those centrally controlled, corporate-owned media outlets will be replaced by point source information, not necessarily in print, defined by niche readerships.'
Agreed that "it's a threat to the loss of the democracy controlled by the folks that still read the newspaper". Brought more questions to mind than answers. What do you suppose will be the impact of our non-newspaper communications? Do you think this 'point source information' will deliver more sensationalism and less pertinent information into our communications? How do you perceive the mechanism for verifying point source information? Other than the medium of delivery changing, will there be a material difference in what is shared? Will previously dis-enfranchised groups, become cohesive or more effective with their niche communications? It's good to recognize change; even better to understand its impact.
Information: more pertinent to the readership niche, always sensational (isn't it now?), provided said tech. teams get it right, which they can, given the tracking tools and data tools that the tech. affords.
Mechanism: page clicks, tapped phones, municipal street-side cameras, government satellites, Google's ubiquity, etc.
Material difference: readership unawares because it's relevant. Do you mean dumbed down? Yes, that's probable, whatever that means.
Formerly disenfranchised groups becoming more effective with niche communication: Probably, but what's it matter if they're talking to themselves?
Impact: consolidation of money in the hands of execs. with the technological teams and creative teams that produce the material, i.e. no change.
Why don't folks loose sleep (maybe some exceptions) over why societies aren't engraving cuneiform on clay tablets or the sides of cliffs in Mesopotamia anymore? The loss of newspapers a threat to our democracy? How important does the newspaper think it is?
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