A damaging poll confirms the obvious … 8 out of 10 don’t want taxpayers bailing out newspapers

Island Turtle ^ | September 24, 2009 | Corky Boyd

[Corky Boyd]

A damaging poll confirms the obvious … 8 out of 10 don’t want taxpayers bailing out newspapers.

Editor and Publisher reported on a study conducted by Sacred Heart University that came to that conclusion.

Nearly 8 out of 10 Americans would oppose any plan to spend tax dollars to aid failing newspapers, according to a poll on news media trustworthiness released Wednesday.

"That reluctance might have something to do with the fact that 38.1% of respondents to the poll by Sacred Heart University said they are reading newspapers less often than five years ago. Or the fact that nearly half, 45%, said they think the Internet is "adequately covering for failing newspapers." Just 35.6% disagreed with that statement."

It continues:

"[T]he poll found Americans do not believe they are getting "good journalism." Just under 68% of respondents agreement with this statement: 'Old-style, traditionally objective and fair journalism is dead.'"

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Another nail in Obango’s coffin.....

[the anti-liberal]

"'Old-style, traditionally objective and fair journalism is dead.'"

[pepsionice]

Here’s the simple issue....almost all of the papers who say they are in financial trouble now....were in trouble last year, the year before that, and the year before that. They have fundamental issues that go back an entire decade. Talk to the Seattle PI folks or the LA Times guys....they have payroll issues with guys making $150k a year as a 15-year journalist with the organization. Every year, they gave a 5 percent payraise, and then issued the finest health insurance policy possible. Meanwhile, the paper picked sides on the political debate and aggravated half the readers. So now...they are missing subscriptions and ad revenue is pitiful.

So no....bailout in this case gets you nothing. They will still be bankrupt next year and the year after. Don’t even mention the idea of a government-owned newspaper.

[loveliberty2]

Perhaps those 8 out of 10 see that even their small local paper is headed by an editor who is totally committed to the Far Left ideology and uses his bully pulpit to prefer and promote that ideology in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Many only continue to subscribe to get local stories and obituaries. In urban communities, the Left's domination is even worse! Why would any thinking American believe these newspapers, which have become only revenue-generating machines for their owners and staffs, should receive a bailout? Let them fail, and from their ashes, perhaps there will arise a truly honest press.

[rockinqsranch]

Eight out of ten sounds like about how many don’t bother with newspapers anymore for obvious reasons also.

[bgill]

Why should taxpayers bail out any private enterprise?

[Joan Kerrey]

The internet has changed things drastically for many businesses. Failure to adjust has consequences. Newspapers serve little purpose now. Why save another failing industry when their only purpose is to promote leftist causes? Ooops, I answered my own question.