The Washington Post - New directions - image from coupmondiale.org
According to the New York Times, today’s shocking news is the sale of the Washington Post by the Graham family to the Amazon Founder: Jeffrey P. Bezos – the announcement came abruptly yesterday.(New York Times). The question of politics came quickly on the heels of the sale – as in: Where does Jeffrey P. Bezos stand? – Apparently, depending upon how liberal or how conservative one is – squarely on the opposite side, a conundrum to be sure. The Atlantic suggests that personally and through an Amazon PAC, the new owner has stood squarely on the fence – and is a shade different that most Libertarians – leaning to the left(The Atlantic)
With what has become a common occurrence amongst the largest and most prestigious newspapers in the nation – loss of revenue, and sales – which end in the sale of the publication – at a grandly reduced rate, is not affecting the lower tier publications, especially the community newspaper? There may be a reason why community newspapers are enjoying somewhat stable circulation, or a rise in circulation in some cases – the news is local and politics rarely enter into the fray. – It is, again, the editorial located in every section of the publication one might subscribe, or most likely, had subscribed to (due to being of the opposite political bent from the newspaper – 50% of the nation), which sunk the nation’s papers in the last two decades. Something that does not occur in one’s weekly reporting, a change of pace.
Yes, the electronic age, and delivery has changed, and the average student can’t read, which makes the newspaper, or any book for that matter, a thing of uncertainty – yet, The Washington Post Sale, and the last week’s sale of the Boston Globe, should be less concerned about the new owners politics, and more concerned with the intent. One might hazard to guess, these savvy businessmen purchased these businesses to make a profit, and possibly out of nostalgia, rather than any motive to push a political message, one way or the other.
Perhaps the newspaper would be a grand bully pulpit to demand reading in the classroom at all levels, especially in the urban areas where graduation rates are dismal at best. Perhaps the paper could become an advocate for the people that purchase the paper, rather than the local, state or national politician the editorial board prefers to wine and dine. There is nothing like the feel of ink and paper, best bet is nostalgia and an attempt to save a once great American treasure – the Daily News.
Who’s next on the block? That’s a good question – the point being: if the Post and the Globe were sold in a heartbeat, at what appears to be a loss in both cases, why not the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times? Time will tell.
Image: Guardian UK
What can one do with old newspapers?
Recycle (for those more “Green” individuals)
Old School
Clean Windows (Google for Recipes)
Liners (bird cages, kitty liter)
Scrapbooking
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