Delivery of the news is only part of the equation. Gathering the news is also affected by the rising price of energy. Cut staff and doubling the number of assignments has decreased the amount of time the reporter can invest in the story.
News events do not always wait for the press to arrive. That gives our government the ability to get their story to the media because they like to time the events. Similarly, they can block access by conducting two events at the same time, thus forcing the newspapers to make a choice of which is most appealing topic to the public. I have heard this complaint many times from reporters in the field.
There is a movement by all media, especially on line, to allow reader participation. This provides the balance not only to cover the story but also to gauge reader interests. I hope they are paying attention. Bloggers have a very important role in the direction and content. I would like it if the Examiner would track the number of hits (readers). I suspect the numbers will be disappointing but important nonetheless.
YouTube, MySpace and public news commentary are essential aspects of the future of journalism. Being on the cutting- edge, we have a great deal of responsibility to do it right. If the status quo takes the lead, propaganda is all we will see in the future news. Puff pieces written by elected officials are a diversion and fabrication of reality. Those stories are intended to lull the public into believing your government is altruistic and benevolent.
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