Managing Data Editor, NBC owned stations. Public records attorney, journalist, ice hockey player/coach. Former bylines: NY Times , Washington Post, Eye on Ohio, etc.
Hearts= likes OR bookmarks
Lucia Walinchus
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7/7 All my usual caveats. Nice to see the shout outs to @victorpickard.bsky.social and @matternews.bsky.social, I love reading their work.
1/7 Really fascinating book on the finances behind the great newspaper collapse.
The author argues that the Internet took the blame for what was essentially mismanagement: overharvesting paper assets for profit while leaving communities in the lurch.
🧵 📚💙 #Booksky @margotsusca.bsky.social
6/7 A warning, though: this book is definitely written for an academic audience. It could’ve used a lot of charts and graphics to help explain all the numbers. I think a sequel in a better format would appeal to more readers. Because the content here is really key!
But when voters do find out, the spending can backfire. In Illinois, candidates who called out the crypto money against them won their primaries despite being vastly outspent. Transparency is the only counter to this.
4/7 We are all thinking it, but don’t say it aloud: why should you subscribe to your newspaper when they won’t actually use it for reporters?
Citizens have to deal with the conflict of wanting to support local journalism without wanting to support the hedge funds destroying them.
5/7 I’m conflicted about this passage because, since I worked there many years ago, the company has downsized the P&C quite a bit, while expanding into real estate and funeral homes.
Though I loved this shout out and I agree that owner intent makes a huge difference.
3/7 They make millions off this business and are too cheap to buy… Microsoft EXCEL.
2/7 The play is essentially this: buy a paper, take out millions in management fees, constantly cut journalists, make money on the difference.
It’s like slowly closing every ride in an amusement park then wondering why no one will show up.
