Daily Sun News Acknowledges Growing Importance Of Blogs
May 21, 2009 2 Comments
In a recent column, a staff member of the Daily Sun News acknowledged the growing importance of blogs, and on-line news sources, while decrying the fact that newspapers as an industry are struggling. In addition to the column, an editorial cartoon lampooned the presence of blogs. This is not the first time that the Daily Sun News has run cartoons trying to belittle blogs. How about some objectivity and transparency from the old guard media?
As for me and this blog, I have never represented myself as a reporter. I have never said I am objective or unbiased. That is the lie told by the main stream media. Here you will get my analysis and commentary. This is not a “news” site. It is a blog that talks about news.
For some reason the staffer at the DSN thinks that all bloggers want to be recognized as news agencies. I am all about protecting individual freedom, and don’t fall into that kind of pack mentality. Most bloggers write about issues that they find personally interesting. It is a hobby that generates little to no income for 95% of those engaged in it. Anyone can start a blog for free, so there is no limit to the number of people who could potentially be blogging.
It is interesting that newspapers and certain political groups in Washington are actually trying to make bloggers get a license from the state, and regulate what they say and do. In reality, they are trying to stifle alternative sources of news.
There is one area where I can agree with what the columnist said. He was crying about pictures being used in other presentations without the original source being sited. I have a link to the Daily Sun News on this blog, and also a paid subscription to the print edition. If I have posted a picture from the DSN website here without explicitly saying where I got it, that is an oversight on my part.
Going back to being objective and transparent, it would be refreshing if the DSN and other papers disclosed how much taxpayer money they receive, especially when reporting on government issues. In Sunnyside, the DSN is the “official” newspaper of city government. This garners hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars of taxpayer money for the newspaper each year. The legal information printed could easily be posted on the city’s website saving considerable expense for the citizenry each year.
Not to be done feeding at the government trough, Washington newspapers have wrangled a huge tax break from the state government this year to help bail them out. Despite the state having to layoff thousands of school teachers, the newspapers asked for, and got, a 40% reduction in state taxes.
See the Seattle Times article: Gov. Gregoire approves tax cut for Washington state newspapers
But wait, there’s more! Newspapers are also trying to get Federal bailout money as well. Why not? It’s what all the politically connected businesses are doing these days. Taking taxpayer money instead of making profits! How’s that for a “free” press?
Don’t get me wrong, I still like my newspaper. I just think they should read the book “Who moved my cheese?”. It might help them adapt to a changing world.
For more on newspaper bailout attempts at the Federal level, watch this video from Reason.tv:
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Jason, I was with you up to the point about the city saving money by not publishing in the DSN. The law is very specific here, we have no choice by to choose a newspaper and publish our legal documents with that paper. We have in the past (I was on Council then) attempted to get bids from other papers; however the first time we did it, no other paper bid for the job, and the last time we did it, the DSN was considerably lower in cost.
I agree that not having to publish in the paper would save the city money; however unless the Legislature is willing to modify the law, and everyone out there has access to a computer, I don’t see it changing any time soon.
Thank you for bringing that up, Jim. I failed to mention the reason the city runs so many notices in the newspaper is because it is required to do so by state law. This is an example of how newspapers gain monetary benefit through the legislative process. It was not my intent to find fault with the city on this issue, but to point out how newspapers receive taxpayer funds already. With changing technology, and increasing Internet access, the day is coming when the Legislature may decide to change the requirements on this.
Like you, I don’t see this change coming soon, but the long term trend is clear to see.