Newspapers

I started my career as a reporter/photographer in broadcast journalism. I loved that job more than every other one I have ever had. We did a pretty good job back in the mid 60's to mid 70's before the so called "news consultants" came in to tell broadcasters that we needed to make our newscasts 'happier.' What you see today with the white toothed young reporters and anchors is the result. (My old colleague Dick Knipfing excluded) There is not much experience there because looks are everything. Most of their stories are straight off the wires or from the Associated Press. Here in Albuquerque the Journal is the biggest source of story ideas for these folks.

Now the Albuquerque Journal and publications like it around the country are in big trouble. It is not because they are doing a bad job, it is just because times are changing and advertising dollars are fleeing due to economic and technology reasons. These newspapers are in real danger of ceasing to exist. If they want to survive they will have to do things much differently even after the recession ends.

This is something worth reading out of the New York Times today. I am pretty sure everyone at the Journal, New Mexican, The Alibi and other publications have read it.

I have changed my reading habits lately. I had noticed I was not reading many books because even with my reading glasses I was straining to see the print. Once I started reading books on a Kindle about six weeks ago I have been averaging two a week. (I could increase the font size on the Kindle) I like it better than a book actually and will stick with it from now on. (Kindle edition books are cheaper too.) However, it would be hard for me to not have inky fingers every morning after coffee and the newspaper. It is just habit I guess but I may have to change along with the times. So will Newspaper publishing.