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Local News Briefs & Tidbits: 06-25-09

by Bill Dusty

SUMMER IS HERE.

Or so rumor has it. At least that’s what the calendar says. If anything else, the month of June has confirmed the fact that the Earth’s surface is indeed largely made up of water.

REPUBLICAN TO FOLD?
It’s no secret that The Republican – greater Springfield area’s only daily newspaper, has fallen into hard times these past few years. At first, the illness was blamed on outside issues such as the rising cost of newsprint and other support materials. That was about eight or ten years ago. But as time wore on, the truth became more and more evident: The Internet had permanently gouged into not only the newspaper industry’s readership, but – more importantly – it had siphoned away the lifeblood of nearly all publications in America: advertising.

As local advertising dollars slipped away from the coffers of the nation’s newspapers, many were forced to layoff staff and close offices. Eventually, entire newspapers folded, and large media chains began to sell off their dead-or-dying wood.

At The Republican, readers watched as their own daily shrank in size and content. Critics howled each time the newspaper implemented changes that slimmed down the paper even more. When the newspaper most recently opted to go “tabloid” on Mondays and Saturdays, media watchers slammed the new format, and readers likewise were unimpressed.

To be fair, though, the new format does embrace some of the changes that critics have been arguing for for some years, now. Local news is now featured first, with the AP stories – which are merely retreads of what many folks now read online before the newspaper ever gets to them – take a back seat in the tabloid editions. The newspaper is far thinner than is Boston tabloid counterpart, The Herald, but then again it’s in much deeper trouble, too.

And now it seems The Herald may well be the only regional newspaper folks wake up to in the morning.

Local news guy G. Michael Dobbs has reported from his blog, Out of the Inkwell, that two reliable sources have informed him that The Republican’s days are numbered, and that the paper will “cease to be” as early as this October.

If true, many of The Republican’s long-time critics will probably be dancing in the streets. For years, the newspaper has been reviled for its backing of Springfield’s network of power players. In many cases, to be sure, the daily has white-washed certain events with its soft coverage of them. And woes-be to any politician who takes a stand in opposition to an issue that Republican editors back.

In years past, local politicians used to line up to kiss the asses of The Republican’s editorial staff in hopes of getting favorable coverage – or, if they were really lucky, an actual endorsement. In recent years, however, the Internet – which provides readers with instant access not only to competing newspapers throughout the region, but also to a multitude of blogs – has stripped much of the former editorial power and prestige from The Republican.

But even with all of its vices, The Republican’s demise – if indeed this does come to pass – should hardly be an occasion to be celebrated. To paraphrase Mark Twain, a town with only one daily newspaper is, at worse, misinformed. But a town with no daily newspaper is uninformed. Not to mention that many fine writers now working at The Republican would be left looking to new employment (although some critics would argue they are better off).

Meanwhile, bloggers who have long criticized the traditional newspaper industry as incapable of adapting to changing times have their own explaining to do: None of us – save celebrities who found their original fame elsewhere (e.g., the Huffington Post) – have ever made a living wage off of our blogs. And though writing The Springfield Intruder has been fun, this writer has no intention of keeping it up indefinitely. (Indeed, the Intruder may be ending before even the Republican sees its demise. Stay tuned…)

There will always be a need and a place for print journalism in America. The Internet provides instant access to news – but only if you have a computer or smartphone handy. Even as Web content has weakened the newspaper industry, it’s still true that if you own a local news site, the best way to increase your Internet readership is to reach the local masses through your printed daily or weekly product. Newspapers, after all, are not failing because of a lack of readership. Were it not for the advertising problem, the debate over the demise of newspapers would not be taking place. Publishers need to find a business formula that combines the convenience of the Internet with a reliable revenue producing product or service to supplement whatever advertising dollars they are able to get.

In the meantime, expect the parade of newspaper failures to continue to make the news.

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PATRIOTIC MUSTANG
Will the owner of this Ford Mustang please stand up and take a bow…. (click images to enlarge)

Wow!

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BING ARTS CENTER FUNDRAISER
Supporters of the Bing Arts Center, which is currently being rehabbed at the old Bing Theater, held a wine and food tasting fundraiser this past Saturday, June 20. Over 80 people attended the event, which was able to raise about $3,000 towards continued work on the building in preparation for its planned opening this fall. Brian Hale, who heads up the effort to bring the Arts Center to the Forest Park neighborhood, told the Intruder that some electrical work, plumbing, ceiling repair, and other work – including installing an alarm system – still needs to get done.

Below are some photos fro the event.

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Silent auction prizes included two tickets to the Holiday Pops, a $100 gift card to the 350 Grill, four tickets to the Majestic Theater (West Spfld.), an autographed copy of A Postcard History of Springfield (by G. Michael Dobbs), and a $50 gift card to the Cavalier Restaurant.

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Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival President John Osborn, accompanied by his wife, Adrienne, attended the event.

State Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, who I’m told is a big supporter of the arts, was the only politician I spotted at the event. (And she brought her little dog with her, too.)

The Bing Arts Center fundraiser was sponsored by Eddie’s Liquors & Fine Wines, with catering provided by Elegant Affairs. Sponsors also included Flowers, Flowers!, Palazzo Cafe and Blue Moon Coffee Roasters.

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LOCAL PHOTO

Heritage Park Pond, East Longmeadow, MA
(click image to enlarge)

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Posted by Bill Dusty on Jun 25th, 2009 and filed under Cities & Towns, Feature Stories, Latest Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.