Government financial support that has bolstered this country's commercial news business since its colonial days is in sharp decline and is likely to fall further, according to a CCLP report released January 28, 2010. Because these cutbacks are occurring at the height of the digital revolution, they will have an especially powerful impact on a weakened news industry Public Policy and Funding the News is a unique effort to begin examining how involved the government, at all levels, has been in subsidizing news throughout American history to foster an informed citizenry; and what this support has meant for publishers, journalists……
Month: January 2010
New Study Traces History of Government Subsidies for the Media
The New York Times featured research by CCLP Director Geoffrey Cowan and Senior Fellow David Westphal, which found that though American newspapers have relied on government subsidies since this country's founding, that support has dropped sharply in the last four decades. "The knee-jerk reaction tends to be that government can't get involved," Cowan said. "We think it's important for people to understand that the government has been involved from the beginning, and that the subsidies were much larger in the past."……
Centuries-Old Bailout of Newspapers is Going Away, Report Warns
Editor & Publisher featured research by CCLP director Geoffrey Cowan and senior fellow David Westphal that found that though American newspapers have relied on government subsidies since this country's founding, that support has dropped sharply in the last four decades. In today's dollars, government support for newspapers and magazines has fallen to less than $2 billion from more than $4 billion in 1970. Cowan and Westphal said that government print notices, which provide significant revenue for newspapers, will most likely migrate to the Web…….
Book World: Review of Daring Young Men by Richard Reeves
The Washington Post reviewed "Daring Young Men: The Heroism and Triumph of the Berlin Airlift, June 1948-May 1949," by Senior Fellow Richard Reeves. "…Reeves, a bestselling author of three presidential biographies and several other books, has delved into declassified archives and provided fresh insights into the power clashes between Truman, Stalin and other leading figures," the article stated. "But the real value of Reeves's book lies in the remarkable human sagas he collected through hundreds of interviews with uncelebrated pilots, mechanics, weathermen and ground controllers who sustained the airlift for almost a year."……
Mike Tharp: Have we got a story for you
The Merced Sun-Star covered the California HealthCare Foundation Center for Health Reporting program, spearheaded by the USC Annenberg School and funded by the California HealthCare Foundation, and noted that Senior Fellow Michael Parks helped recruit journalists for the center…….
Chief of Hollywood Trade Group to Step Down
The New York Times ran a story on Senior Fellow Dan Glickman's announcement that he was stepping down from his post as chairman and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America effective April 1, 2010 to become president of Refugees International. In the article, Glickman notes that state-sponsored film incentives expanded rapidly during his tenure. "Four or five states had them when I came in, today there are over 40."……
What is Government’s Role in Supporting the News Business?
A new report on the role of government in supporting newspapers and other news organizations will be released by the University of Southern California’s Center on Communication Leadership & Policy on Thursday, January 28, 2010. That same day, a press briefing will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. at 9:30 a.m. The report, Public Policy and Funding the News, is co-authored by Geoffrey Cowan (pictured, left), USC Annenberg School dean emeritus and director of the Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP), and David Westphal, former Washington Editor for McClatchy Newspapers and current CCLP senior fellow……
CCLP Research Briefing: “Public Policy & Funding the News”
The Center on Communication Leadership and Policy (CCLP) presents findings from a new report by Geoffrey Cowan (pictured, left), USC University Professor and CCLP director, and David Westphal, CCLP senior fellow and USC Annenberg executive in residence. The report, Public Policy and Funding the News, is sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York. The report "analyzes some of the financial tools that government has used to support the commercial press throughout our nation's history — from postal rate discounts and tax breaks to public notices and government advertising. It documents cutbacks across a range of sectors and presents a framework……
Free press, with profits
The Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by Geneva Overholser and CCLP Director Geoffrey Cowan about the important role government plays in sustaining serious journalism. "It's clear that journalism is in crisis, and in the current recession, things are likely to get much worse," they wrote. "With a new administration and a new Congress seeking fresh solutions to other crises, we need to consider new possibilities to help ensure that journalism remains able to provide the information needed by a great democracy."……
Curtin, Glickman and Zacchino appointed CCLP senior fellows
A top news executive and two leading global policymakers have been appointed 2010-2011 senior fellows of Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. As part of CCLP, senior fellows contribute to the Communication Leadership blog, participate in public programs and lead projects in specific areas of engagement for the Center…….