The New Journalism

Kelly Heyboer, writing for Jersey Blogs, asks, “Is it time to write the obituary for newspapers?” I don’t think so. Even though the newspaper industry is undergoing a major structural transformation, few prognosticators, if any, have a crystal ball accurate enough to predict the exact outcome of such a fundamental industry shift.

The impact of print newspaper circulation shrinkage in our own backyard of Bridgewater and Somerset County is undeniable. It’s easily observable in the heavily reduced on-site reporting for state and local proceedings; as, for example, in meetings of elected officials. Newspaper bureaus do their best, but it’s simply not possible to cover the entire waterfront with a severely reduced staff.

One of the major casualties is full, on-site coverage for boards of education meetings. It was hard enough for a reporter to sit through often interminable, long-winded meetings and be able to capture the one moment or two where someone might bring up a controversial topic, or try to slip through a crucial, but otherwise undetected item. Lack of funds for full coverage of public meetings has made it impossible for editors to even consider such full-time coverage. The public is the ultimate loser in this seemingly endless circulation slide.

However, I am an optimist on this matter. Blogger Chris Hedges writes – as reported in the Star-Ledger – that transferring news gathering to the Internet is an illusion. He goes on to conclude that, although “bloggers and internet addicts . . . can produce stinging and insightful commentary . . . they rarely pick up the phone, much less go out and find a story.”

Hedges claims that, “at least 80 percent (of all reporting) is done by newspapers and the wire services. Take that away and we have a huge black hole.”

I agree with that assessment. Take, for example, the latest flap over the proposed salary increase for Bridgewater’s Township Administrator. Without the original reporting and follow-up of an on-the-ground writer like Kara L. Richardson of the Courier News, you wouldn’t have known anything about this until the game was over. As it turns out, her story on the topic prompted two editorials, one in the Courier News, and the other in the Star-Ledger.


Note: 1.) Responsibility for any omissions or errors of fact in this blog post are strictly my own. 2.) Richardson’s story may be found at: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS/808050381/1012/NEWS0201