Our Voice
Newspapers have been one of the hardest industries. So far, in the short life of 2009, 1,011 newspaper jobs have been cut, according to the St. Lous Post-Dispatch.
Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspaper or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter.”
What would he think of this day, when we live in a society that appears to be coming gravely close to the former?
The most important job of the newspaper industry has always been to serve as a watchdog of the government. But as newspapers move more toward the Internet and increasingly away from print the line between news and the World Wide Waste begins to blur.
According to a Jan. 27 New York Times editorial Google’s own chief executive, Eric Schmidt, called the internet, “‘a cesspool’ of false information.”
Essentially, without the printed news, people may find it hard to rely on the accuracy of the information they receive online.
Newspapers have also, traditionally, served as historical documents. They capture a moment in time, recording current events for future people who may look back to them for research.
Will this be possible if future news is exclusively online? It’s hard to say. Some Web sites do archive all of their stories, however others do not seem to do this.
In order to preserve the printed news drastic action must be taken.
One college student has formed a core group of people loyal to the cause of saving newspapers, with a Facebook group proclaiming Monday, Feb. 2 National Buy A Newspaper Day.
The student, Chris Freiberg of Indiana University, is encouraging everyone to support the newspaper industry by purchasing a local newspaper on that day.
The Colonnade is in full support of Freiberg’s proposition. At GCSU, we are lucky enough to have access to free copies of not just The Colonnade, but also the New York Times. However on Monday, please support the newspaper industry and pick up a copy of the (Macon) Telegraph, The Union Recorder or The Baldwin Bulletin. Heck, if you’re feeling extra supportive pick up all three.
The newspaper industry is the backbone of American journalism. For it to fall, does not merely mean the loss of jobs, but the loss of credible information to the American people, one of the main foundations this country was built upon.
Please send responses to ColonnadeLetters@gcsu.edu
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Jan 30 2009. Filed under Our Voice.
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