Wisconsin State Journal Editor Ellen Foley writes an editorial for the Sunday edition. She begins by describing how everything is fine in the newspaper business, then promptly follows with her professional understanding of the problem facing the newspaper business, finally ending with a plea for someone in the public to provide her with ideas.
Help Chart the Future of News: We are in the midst of a cultural transition that is shattering the media landscape as it divides two of the most privileged generations: the Baby Boomers and their children. The older generation prefers the slow and thoughtful media of the newspaper that generates a community conversation. The younger generation demands the fast, free media of the Web that resolves stress and chaos in their lives.What strikes me as missing in Ms. Foley’s analysis, is understanding the contest between the internet and print media is about accurate information and acknowledgement that all reporting is subject. The internet makes source checking available to the public and there is no value added when newspapers are simply filling space by passing on press releases verbatim and doing local reprints of purchased press reports.
Playing out here is an age-old conflict between the values of community versus the individual. Journalists will almost always choose to write about a conflict unless given a better angle. To balance this story we need to invite some new voices from people who can imagine a solution. I open up my inbox to you at efoley@madison.com.
Several of Ms. Foley's recent press journalism claims of fame, are stories based on uncritical acceptance of information from unnamed and anonymous government sources. The press has always been willingly manipulated by politicians, so stop pretending no one in the industry has personal opinions that inevitably manifest themselves in the words selected for inclusion and highlight, and those words left out.
