There are five simple things to fix the newspaper industry.
First, for the first 170 years of the nation....we didn’t have journalism majors from some college as reporters. We had regular people with differing backgrounds. It’s time to round up a new crew from your local college and community college group....who might have a background in social science, business, and agriculture...and turn them into reporters. We need different prospectives, which we aren’t getting currently.
Second, we already get enough national news from the internet and TV....so don’t waste space in your newspapers carrying massive amounts of national or international news. Tell folks about the history of various communities. Do some interviews with GI’s from the Korean War. Interview some farmers on the problems of running a massive farm.
Third, cover local sports. Parents and locals all want to hear about their star player at the local high school. Every Saturday, there ought to be two entire pages discussing local sports and what’s happening.
Fourth, local business ought to earn a full page out of every daily paper, and three pages out of every Sunday paper. Interview folks and lay out local taxation issues, local downward trends, and success stories.
Fifth and final....if you turn your paper into a political magnet for one political party over the other....then expect to lose half your subscription base (like the current situation). Don’t sit and think they will ever come back. Fair and balanced is a term that you ought to practice on a daily basis.
The Des Moines Register last week announced the “retirement” of about a dozen reporters and editors.