Print Journalism and the Survival Thereof

So I've been thinking a little about print journalism.

I live in Cleveland. I don't get a newspaper - I haven't for years, even when I still preferred paper books I sought out online print media. Oh, and I kind of hate the Cleveland Plain Dealer. I'm still not sure this is because of their content, or just that I really don't like their web site. Periodically, I try to like them. Or at least read them. And then I get stabby and go elsewhere.

Sometimes I read the Seattle Times. Now, I've never been a huge fan of the Seattle Times. But I liked the Seattle Times web site. Still... it's not my primary news source. It's more something I check more often than not because it doesn't entirely suck and it's nice to see what's going on in the old town.

So, the Seattle Times is looking to put up some kind of paywall. And I find myself conflicted. Because really, I just don't read them enough to justify buying their subscription. And yet... I'm pretty willing to pay for my news. For all my love of blogs, and my tendency to get a lot of my news from twitter, I value old fashioned print journalism (well, except the paper part.) Citizen journalism is great, professional journalism - especially local professional journalism - still has something to offer. I think. Citizen journalism is also pretty random, and I'm happy to pay for some consistency. (Yeah, there are problems. Still.)( Read more... )