Facebook Censors Conservatives = New life for Big Newspaper?

January 27, 2016 | Lee Martell

[lee martell]

The world has been watching as Germany is filled, some say, invaded, with refugees from Syria. Many surrounding european countries wrestle with this same problem. The country leaders want it, the majority of citizens do not and feel endangered by the refugees, most of whom will never assimilate into the cultures of their host countries. Three weeks after the New Years Eve rapes and assaults in Colonge, Germany, there is still much despair, worry and shock about the way these refugees conduct themselves. There is profound grieving in German cities, about the loss of their formerly free societies. Naturally, in today's world, the impulse is to get on a social media site, such as Facebook, and express your feelings. But no more. Both Facebook and Google have agreed to censor 'anti-migrant' posts.

Once a poster gets over the shock of American companies aiding and abetting censorship in other parts of the globe, once is brought to certain conclusions. One is that this may be the time to return to using print newspapers or magazines to communicate with their followers. This Old World method of communicating via the printed word has been effective for centuries. The printed word received it's biggest boost in 1439, ironically, in Germany, from Johannes Gutenberg . Johannes Gutenberg, was the first European to use the printing press and movable type while in Europe. He also invented a method to mass produce the movable type characters. This allowed for the mass production of printed books at a relatively low price. This venue of mass communication led to many related tools and inventions, which permanently altered the way information is shared and distributed around the globe.

I'm thinking if there was ever a time to think small, think local, it would be now. If a conservative group could put a physical newspaper out once, maybe twice weekly, to see if it catches on, I would consider buying it. Do you think physical news papers are a good alternative to being frozen out on facebook or other comment forums?

[sparklite2]

How did the conservative New York Sun work out?

[IChing]

Um....no. There are a gazillion of online alternatives to Zuckerburkha and Gargoyle, all interactive and light years ahead of paper-print media. Sheesh. Print media is almost dead.

[Secret Agent Man]

Why would conservative media want to follow a dinosaur, outdated, planet-hostile, throwaway, dying news model?

[lee martell]

I had not heard of them till now. Thanks. I like their motto; “It shines for all”. It seems to lead a rather muted existence now. More Marquee writers needed. Maybe they can attract some writers who can’t get with Hot Air or Red State. There are many conservatives with an ax to grind about Eric Erickson.

[Smokin' Joe]

Facebook can't censor me.

I don't go there.

[Smokin' Joe]

Why would conservative media want to follow a dinosaur, outdated, planet-hostile, throwaway, dying news model?

Better than having the puppies pee on your smartphone?

[nathanbedford]

As one who lives in Germany and comments regularly concerning the dangers of unrestrained immigration I am frankly concerned that not only might my comments be censored but that I might face prosecution.

I am too old and too crusty a conservative to curb my tongue now on issues which are vital to the survival of Western democracy but there is not the tradition of free speech here that exists in America. So far, Free Republic has slipped under the radar.

However just because I live where the printing press was invented, I do not believe that the answer to heavy-handed censorship by the government in league with big-league Internet players is to reverse to 16th-century technology. The power of social media to adapt is demonstrably superior to the power of creaking democracies to censor. The answer, like the answer for inappropriate speech, is more technology.

[kingu]

I will be honest, since I’ve been down this route, the biggest issue is the cost of mailing out the newspaper. Local distribution is easy peasy, and I’ve done pony express relay distribution (such as getting it out to the Inland Empire, and someone takes it from there on to Vegas and Pheonix, etc.

THAT said, pony express distribution works. And it is generally easy to find locations who don’t care if there’s a paper sitting there for people to pick up.

You’re looking at roughly $3,000 overhead per week per 10,000 copies. If you aim for 100,000 copies per week, that’s a $30,000 bill each month for the first few months until you can start getting advertising revenue in. Most advertisers pay 2 months behind publishing.

[lee martell]

You sound like an actual publisher. You’ve had to budget for these ongoing expenses. So advertisers are often delinquent in payment huh? I guess they think their client needs the ad patronage more than keeping their books in the black.

[KarlInOhio]

Fortunately there has never in world history been a printing press that has been shut down or destroyed by a government or an angry mob.< /s>

[kingu]

I did a monthly newspaper for 4 years with a distribution of 20,000 copies a month. My family had been in the newspaper business for 27 years before that.

It is the nature of the business. Publication date would be 1/1/2016, you mail off proofs to the advertiser on the same day. You bill on 1/7/2016 with net 30 terms, which is common in the industry. 2/7 rolls around, advertiser still hasn't paid because it isn't past due yet (and for major advertisers, net 90 is more common than net 30.) 2/14 you make a call to find out if the check has been sent out yet, 2/21 maybe someone gets back to you to tell you that it will be sent out tomorrow and maybe if you're lucky, by 3/7 you've got a check in your hands.

It is to the point where you can walk into virtually any bank with your receivables, they ask what kind of business, you say newspaper, and they point you to the person who handles those loans. Not even the slightest blink of an eye.

My cost estimates pretty much cover the cost of printing, someone’s gas for about 1,000 miles per week, and a modest salary for someone to paginate the newspaper each week. It does not cover the cost of content. Then again, in this world, content is cheap.

[enduserindy]

I deleted my facebook account for ridiculous censorship policies. I don’t see a printed paper as a good idea moving forward. I think a better idea would be “Freepbook’”

[enduserindy]

oh yeah, think how much fun we could have treating liberals the way facebook treats conservatives!