Free Press?

Having spent 7 or 8 years as managing editor of a local newspaper, one thing I learned well is the press is not free. We barely covered our operating costs the entire time. We paid one person a pittance compared to market rates to do all our type setting and layout. She was terrific and dedicated; also living in near poverty; but it was all we could afford.

The rest of us were reimbursed for the odd expenses we incurred for the paper, but no pay. Thirty-two volunteer journalists worked hard together. Original investors mostly lost their stake, two heavily. But we were committed to providing the community its voice. I think we did a credible job with very few resources. Oh, we had our wits, and a wonderful community to serve. In the final analysis it wasn’t enough to keep the paper going.

The electronic media model is what we have today. Print ads are getting scarce, although the graphics are useful for digital sharing. Social media is the center of advertising these days. Instagram and other video based platforms are effective as well.

Print journalism has relied on advertising revenues to pay its bills. That is not possible today. As those revenues become more scarce, corporate influence through marketing dollars becomes more of a threat.

Electronic imaging with its impact proven has created a new market. Revenues can and have been attached to this new model. If publishers can harness these revenues, they will have a means to support journalism. TV and radio advertising is still a force but competition among broadcast outlets has made marketing more complex and costly.

Lost in the shuffle is the press itself.

Opinion, however, has never lost its voice! We witness that everywhere. Well, at least that’s free.

Or is it?

October 6, 2020