John Kerry op-ed on journalism on South Coast Today.com

[karynnj]

As a means of conveying news in a timely way, paper and ink are becoming obsolete, eclipsed by the power, efficiency and technological elegance of the Internet. Consequently, major daily newspapers in great cities like Boston, San Francisco, Houston, Miami and Atlanta are experiencing double-digit percentage decreases in daily circulation.

Regional, smaller-market newspapers, like The Standard-Times in New Bedford, remain an indispensable source for local communities. They are a reliable source for understanding how world events impact our neighborhoods. The Standard-Times' in-depth coverage of the Bianco factory raid and subsequent series, "The New Immigrants," are perfect examples of a local newspaper serving as an authoritative voice for the community: As evidenced by the coverage, the reporters on the ground knew the people of New Bedford and knew what an event like this meant to them.

But the overall trend for the newspaper industry in the digital information age is clear from these examples: The 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News ceased publishing altogether this year; the 146-year-old Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the 100-year-old Christian Science Monitor shifted completely to the Web; and the Detroit Free Press cut home delivery to only three days.

But just looking at the erosion of the newspaper industry is not the full picture; it's just one casualty of a completely shifting and churning information landscape. Many experts believe that what we are seeing happen to newspapers is just the beginning — that soon, perhaps in a matter of years, television and radio will experience what newspapers are experiencing now.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090515/OPINION/905150351/-1/NEWS

My favorite line - that is Thomas Paine were alive today he would be "blogging away, warning us that these are times that try our souls."

[wisteria]

1. It is a good OP-ED.

To bad the ignorant commenter's can not see the merit in what he writes about.

[ObamaKerryDem]

2. My favorite line - that is Thomas Paine were alive today he would be "blogging away.."

I loved that line too. Very clever. And hey, he probably would be! lol :D Another well written piece by the Senator.

[ProSense]

3. Really good piece. Thanks.

The business model is the key, and it should promote good, solid journalism. There is way too much misinformation being pushed by the various media.