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By Dennis Byrne
Chicago Daily Observer
Someone has to save the Sun-Times.
Someone who cares about Chicago and journalism and integrity. Not like the recent set of incompetents and crooks that have sent the newspaper into what increasingly looks like a death spiral.
Chicago must not only keep two newspapers, but two good newspapers. Chicago cannot pretend to be a world-class city without two—no more than it can expect to capture the Olympics with a creaking, busted CTA.
The Sun-Times and its sister newspapers are cutting $50 million, about 11 percent of its expenses, in the coming half year. The Sun-Times itself last week started to ax about 20 percent of its newsroom staff. Business editor Dan Miller, seeing the darkness approaching, resigned—an ominous portent for sure. Having worked with Miller at the old Chicago Daily News, I know that he should be running the entire paper, not leaving it. With all this, putting out a quality newspaper will be impossible; surviving difficult.
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3 comments:
The Sun-Times always has had two things going for it vis-a-vis the Trib: more interesting columnists and a better sports page. But I think this time the paper really needs to keep either a liberal or at least a centrist editorial board -- I have no interest in going back to the Murdoch or Black era and have a situation where this bluest part of a blue state had two conservative voices preaching to me.
When the new management stated that they intended to swing to the Left of the Tribune (already Left in my humble opinion), they sealed the fate of the paper. The people they wish to appeal to are the ignorant who either do not read or buy newspapers. The demise of both papers is needed to teach some lessons to the owners. And to free us from their blatant bias.
The demise of any newspaper teaches no lessons.
It just hurts communities, benefits unethical politicos and puts journalists out of work.
Owners always grab the cash, even ones that are not criminals like Black and Co.
While the challenges are huge for ink-stained wretches these, it is also pretty exciting time to try to go beyond surviving and possibly do some good work for the readers.
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