News

In response to a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has affirmed his willingness to adjust antitrust policy to protect the newspaper industry. His stance could make it easier for newspapers to merge their non-news operations with one another, which could help them maintain financial viability. You can read the full Reuters piece here…….Continue Reading Holder may adjust antitrust policy for newspapers

John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney, two of the founders of Free Press, make their case for a $200 government tax credit for every American who wishes to subscribe to a newspaper. Though there would be restrictions on the kind of newspapers eligible for the credit (published at least five days a week, with a substantial news hole and less than 50 percent advertising), the tax credit would allow individuals to choose their news source, and give newspapers legs to stand on in the changing world of journalism. You can read the piece on the Nation's website…….Continue Reading Give $200 tax credit, say founders of Free Press

A report released by global marketing firm, JD Power and Associates, found that almost 40 percent of bloggers surveyed would pay for news content, or do already. The bloggers said they preferred a subscription service to other potential models. Said Janet Eden-Harris, vice president of the company's Web Intelligence Division. "Monthly or yearly subscriptions to content appeal to bloggers more than paying by the article, because in contrast to the iTunes model–in which content is licensed for a long period of time–news articles are more transient and lose value quickly." You can read the release fro JD Power and Associates……Continue Reading Many bloggers willing to pay for online news content

SaleSpider.com has teamed up with the New York Daily News to form a new social networking site catering to small businesses. One key goal: helping businesses find information about government grants. You can read the article at the World Editors Forum here…….Continue Reading A new social network for small businesses links old media and new

The ground is shifting: The Washington Post is advertising for a new breed of journalist:; "community journalists" who cover local civic concerns in the D.C. suburbs. Starting pay is in the $34,000 range, and the Post wants the reporters to live in the communities they cover. You can read the article in the Washington City Paper here…….Continue Reading A new kind of job at Wash Post: community journalist ($34k)

Harvey Levin, who heads the entertainment site TMZ, told journalism students that they need to think hard about drawing an audience if they hope to succeed in the news business. "You will need to convey information and engage the public in such a way that it will make it a business for you," he said. Levin defended TMZ's recent saturation coverage of Rihanna by noting that it spoke to a much more important issue of domestic violence. You can read the ariticle in the San Francisco Chronicle here…….Continue Reading The future of news is… TMZ?

Outside.In’s Mark Josephson has three words of advice for local Web site operators:  Aggregate, curate, network.  The result, he said, can be a virtuous cycle that draws an audience and advertising revenue to local sites.  "Say what you will about ad networks, but they are big, growing and profitable," he writes.  Read Mark Josephson’s blog……Continue Reading How to build a ‘virtuous cycle’ of readers, $$$

It looks as though some relief may be in the works for newspapers in Washington state. Acknowledging the vital role of newspapers in a democracy, the Washington state House endoresed a bill Tuesday night that would provide newspapers with a 40 percent cut in their state business taxes through 2015. You can read the full Seattle Times story here…….Continue Reading Tax cut for Washington newspapers a possibility