Newspapers search for business model

American Public Media's "Marketplace" interviewed Senior Fellow David Westphal about the problems facing the newspaper industry. The business is in limbo, with no clear version of what the next phase will be, Westphal said. "A lot of people make the good point that the public's demand for news and information has really gone up – not down or stayed the same; it's gone up," he said. "The problem is that there is not … a business model around the next bend that we can look at and say with confidence, 'Oh, I can see where the money's going to come……Continue Reading Newspapers search for business model

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."……Continue Reading Free press, with profits

Lofty expectations for Obama’s inaugural speech

The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Faculty Fellow Thomas Hollihan and Morley Winograd of the USC Marshall School about Barack Obama's inauguration address. "An inaugural speech is very different from the annual State of the Union address," Hollihan said. "By its very nature, it's a speech that celebrates the continuity of the compact between people and the democratic process." The article also included a list of tips from Hollihan on what to expect from the speech…….Continue Reading Lofty expectations for Obama’s inaugural speech

Kennedy and Obama

The New York Times ran an op-ed by Senior Fellow Richard Reeves about President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. "The speech was bellicose and conciliatory at the same," Reeves wrote. "Kennedy was a man who knew that in his new job, words were often more important than deeds," Reeves added. "Few people would remember whether he balanced the budget. Almost all Americans would remember his lines, particularly, 'Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.'"……Continue Reading Kennedy and Obama

Ted Turner puts it in writing

The Los Angeles Times highlighted media mogul Ted Turner's recent visit to USC. In a public interview conducted by CCLP Director Geoffrey Cowan, which was attended by about 800 people, Turner discussed his key objectives, including reducing coal and oil use and working with the United Nations on nuclear disarmament. "Nobody wants to die so why have we built this system to kill each other?" Turner said. He playfully exhorted students to call him 'Ted' and even recited Shakespeare, the story stated. "This reminds me of the days when CNN was young and everybody wanted to interview me all over……Continue Reading Ted Turner puts it in writing