Journalism Convention Addresses Decline of Newspapers
ATLANTA – “Those who have been screaming about the liberal media will wake up one day and realize that newspapers are going down, but it is the newspaper that serves a critical watchdog role.”
These words were shared by newspaper veteran and Pulitzer Prize winner Hank Klibanoff on Thursday, the opening day of the 2008 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference.
More than 600 journalists have gathered in Atlanta to take part in the four-day conference.
During his session titled “Decline of the American Newspaper,” Klibanoff discussed the reasons for the decline of readership and newsroom cutbacks, reasons that stretched far-beyond the surge of online news. Klibanoff is the co-author of “The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle and the Awakening of a Nation,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for history.
Klibanoff believes that many conservative commentators downplay the importance of newspapers and their watchdog role over government. This is ironic, he says, because government is the institution that the same people on the right hold in similar, if not more, ill-regard as the press. He also cited the newspapers industry’s lack of self-promotion as a reason for the decline. In Klibanoff’s view, a generic national advertising campaign is essential for newspapers, much on the level of products such as milk or pork.
“There is an age-old problem – that newspapers don’t advertise their content. You see successful industry-wide advertising for things like milk and pork. Why not for newspapers? There is no substitute for a good newspaper,” he said.
Also on the opening day of the convention, attendees came together to raise money for the SPJ Legal Defense Fund, which helps defer legal costs of journalists and ensure public access to government records. Revenues from silent and live auctions raised more than $7,000 for the fund.
Over the course of the convention, which ends Sunday, Sept. 7, attendees will hear from many industry-leading professionals, such as NPR’s Charlayne Hunter-Gault and NBC’s Martin Fletcher. Practical training is also available for bloggers, freelancers and students looking for ways to transition from the classroom to the newsroom. SPJ will also take up official organizational business as it installs a new president. Delegates representing SPJ’s chapters will also elect new national officers for the 2008-2009 year.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.
ATLANTA – “Those who have been screaming about the liberal media will wake up one day and realize that newspapers are going down, but it is the newspaper that serves a critical watchdog role.”
These words were shared by newspaper veteran and Pulitzer Prize winner Hank Klibanoff on Thursday, the opening day of the 2008 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference.
More than 600 journalists have gathered in Atlanta to take part in the four-day conference.
During his session titled “Decline of the American Newspaper,” Klibanoff discussed the reasons for the decline of readership and newsroom cutbacks, reasons that stretched far-beyond the surge of online news. Klibanoff is the co-author of “The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle and the Awakening of a Nation,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for history.
Klibanoff believes that many conservative commentators downplay the importance of newspapers and their watchdog role over government. This is ironic, he says, because government is the institution that the same people on the right hold in similar, if not more, ill-regard as the press. He also cited the newspapers industry’s lack of self-promotion as a reason for the decline. In Klibanoff’s view, a generic national advertising campaign is essential for newspapers, much on the level of products such as milk or pork.
“There is an age-old problem – that newspapers don’t advertise their content. You see successful industry-wide advertising for things like milk and pork. Why not for newspapers? There is no substitute for a good newspaper,” he said.
Also on the opening day of the convention, attendees came together to raise money for the SPJ Legal Defense Fund, which helps defer legal costs of journalists and ensure public access to government records. Revenues from silent and live auctions raised more than $7,000 for the fund.
Over the course of the convention, which ends Sunday, Sept. 7, attendees will hear from many industry-leading professionals, such as NPR’s Charlayne Hunter-Gault and NBC’s Martin Fletcher. Practical training is also available for bloggers, freelancers and students looking for ways to transition from the classroom to the newsroom. SPJ will also take up official organizational business as it installs a new president. Delegates representing SPJ’s chapters will also elect new national officers for the 2008-2009 year.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.
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