It’s about time newspapers started fighting back

The editor of the Tampa Tribune, Janet Coats, got the attention of her Facebook friends last Saturday when she posted this message: "Janet is preparing to fire a shot over the bow." I figured Janet's staff at the Tribune was about to score a scoop in the Sunday paper. But a quick check of Tampa Bay Online didn't turn up anything that matched her provocative post. Then I saw it. "This Newspaper Is Fighting Back." And before I read on, a quick word came to mind: "Yes!!"……

The week the media crashed

So this is how it ends: Detroit newspapers have lost so much revenue they plan to publish and distribute a traditional paper only two days a week, according to the Wall Street Journal (and reported here). NPR has lost so much revenue that it will cancel programs once considered the network's future to conserve resources for its decades-old hits, according to an NPR announcement. NBC has lost so much revenue it announces it will only program four hours a week of traditional prime time entertainment next fall. Yes, that's correct: four hours a week. (The press release is available here.)……