The response to Sen. Benjamin Cardin‘s proposed legislation to help newspapers become nonprofits has been met with some criticism. James Taranto of The Wall Street Journal argues that the guidelines for nonprofits would prevent them from writing commentary on legislation and candidates, and thereby have a chilling effect on journalism.
You can read the full Wall Street Journal article here.
In the Cleveland Plain Dealer, columnist Kevin O’Brien goes farther, saying that newspapers must reject Cardin’s proposal.
You can read the column in Cleveland Plain Dealer here.
Still others, including the editor of a Southern Maryland paper, note the prohibition on newspaper endorsements if they become nonprofits under Senator Cardin’s revitalization act.
You can read the article in The Capital here.