Expirations

I had the pleasure of seeing a lot of former radio news (and print) colleagues today but it was a sad occasion, the funeral of one of our number who died after a 3-month struggle with cancer. We were competitors, working at different radio news shops, back in the days when all respectable radio stations had a news department for covering local news. I found out later we had both applied for the same job, the one I won, but he never mentioned it or held it against me. In fact he was one of the most congenial competitors I worked with at various news assignments.

Writing about the funeral of a colleague makes a good introduction for some thoughts on what's happening in journalism these days. The struggles of journalism and its alleged imminent demise are common topics. I don't have much to add at this point. I do believe journalism will be around for a long time to come just as soon as some adjustments to the delivery mechanism shake out.

Most journalists, and those who care about journalism, will be fascinated to read the PBS Expose posted online titled The Withering Watchdog. It explains that the problems with journalism aren't all related to the internet and changing technology. In a perfect storm of sorts, journalism (primarily but not totally newspapers) set up its own self destruction by obsessing on profit rather than its news responsibilities.

Conservatives like me who tend to trust main street over ivory tower institutions will find the white hats and the black hats reversed in this case. And, even more surprising to some, it's PBS telling the story that the commercial media won't own up to.

Is it too late to save journalism? I don't think so. But the guys in the front office haven't done us any favors.