Sobering thoughts from the pot paper publisher
In his annual letter to readers, Willy Week publisher Richard Meeker says some smart things about Portland and his journal's role in it. For one thing, he admits that WW is not really an "alternative" publication any more, but more importantly, he laments the fact that there's less and less media to be an alternative to any more. The O, he points out, is going downhill fast, and its downsizing isn't healthy for the city.
As for his own outfit, Meeker says:
To grow and flourish, a city like ours needs a sustained narrative — one that originates in careful questioning and discussion. This kind of reporting — not just of news, but of culture and imagination — is at the heart of the complex buzz of ideas and thoughts that holds us together as a community and gives us our sense of possibility.As to WW’s role in all of this, consider the following: Our newsroom has a staff of nine. We have a production staff of five, an advertising and marketing team of 12 (including classifieds and events), a single circulation manager, a Musicfest staff of two, and five of us in operations. We also have a number of freelance contributors and other independently contracted help.
In other words, we have nowhere near enough resources — for our aspirations or Portland’s — which is why I believe this to be the challenge that will animate the years ahead.
Nowadays there are more government p.r. flacks in Portland than they are reporters, and that ain't good. The internet has ripped the news business apart, and it isn't going to be put back together in anywhere near the shape it was in in the old days. As much as they exasperate us, the print media stand between the public and disaster. We had better hope that the few serious journalistic forces this city still has, figure out a way to survive.
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Comments (10)
"To grow and flourish, a city like ours needs a sustained narrative — one that originates in careful questioning and discussion."
No the modern press corp is only supposed to reprint the press release from the government flakes, er I mean flacks.
Questioning the agenda will soon be a crime in the new world order.
Posted by Tim | November 8, 2012 10:41 AM
We need an alternative to the bobble heads of Fox and "news" radio. Unfortuately, print is a dinosaur. Killed by the kilo-byte. Like the horse and buggie and vinyl records it will be for a few enthusiasts who love the retro feel. The world is moving on.
Posted by George | November 8, 2012 10:50 AM
"In other words, we have nowhere near enough resources — for our aspirations or Portland’s — which is why I believe this to be the challenge that will animate the years ahead."
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Yes, your business model has changed. You will continue to have to cut back, since people will not pay more next year for less of what you delivered last year.
"The internet has ripped the news business apart, and it isn't going to be put back together in anywhere near the shape it was in in the old days."
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This is true and will continue. I personally am glad it was ripped apart, and also glad it will not be put back like it was. Kill or be killed.
"As much as they exasperate us, the print media stand between the public and disaster. We had better hope that the few serious journalistic forces this city still has, figure out a way to survive."
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Survive or evolve... maybe even evolve to survive? We now get our "news" from so many different sources. And each day we evaluate their credibility (did what they say yesterday come true? what is their bias and agenda?)
Just because they write as a 'professional' for a (credible? respectable?) newspaper (no longer on paper, and often not very 'new') means nothing anymore. I am no more going to give credibility and authority to Nigel just because he writes for WW, but instead I might give the same credibility to a ex-waiter and current comic joke writer who does not write for WW, but has researched the whole derivative debacle and has earned my respect and his credibility because of his own research and knowledge, not the name of his advertiser/newspaper.
Does Nigel deserve more respect and authority than Bill? Why? Do I care if I get better info, news and opinions from an url that is bojack.org rather than wweek.com? Opinions and news are at both locations; may it be the survival of the fittest. Crowdsourcing and Craigslist have shown us the way.
Posted by Harry | November 8, 2012 11:18 AM
I was early in my efforts to get on line and gather everything from the internet. I ditched all manner of hard copy (except for books) a long time ago. My laptop and more recently my iphone have been an essential part of my being for many years. Only recently have I begun to untie myself some from these electronic government trackers to read newspapers again. Not always real informative or up to the minute, but a really nice change. Maybe papers will catch on again rather than die, as more people decide to undo themselves from the leash we call a PC.
Posted by gibby | November 8, 2012 11:58 AM
We had better hope that the few serious journalistic forces this city still has, figure out a way to survive.
I find it odd, Jack, that you apparently wrote this sentence without realizing that many of us do consider you a "serious journalistic force" in this city and region.
Posted by John Rettig | November 8, 2012 12:40 PM
It might be pointed out that many newspapers are now charging a small monthly amount to access more than headline content. I think you will be seeing more of that in the future.
Posted by Dave A. | November 8, 2012 1:15 PM
To "grow and flourish" a city needs a growing supply of good paying jobs, competitive tax rates, an educated workforce, high amenity/reasonably priced housing, affordable public utilities, and a reliable transportation grid (especially for the timely movement of FREIGHT) especially during peak traffic.
Portland is failing every count.
If you're a condo developer (or other beneficiary of patronage), a municipal employee, or a union member, then Portland is looking out for you.
Everybody else exists to feed the beast.
Posted by Mister Tee | November 8, 2012 1:30 PM
"I am no more going to give credibility and authority to Nigel just because he writes for WW . . ."
I don't give Nigel credibility and authority because he writes for Willamette Week; I give it to him because he's earned it over years of excellent investigative reporting.
I also give Jack Bogdanski a lot of credibility and authority for the same reason, and because the last time I was talking to someone at the Port of Portland and brought Jack's name up just to get a reaction, all that person would say was, "He does very good research." Which said volumes to me.
Posted by Jack Roberts | November 8, 2012 2:48 PM
The Oregonian shares the general decline in all big city newspapers.
But the Oregonian also inflicts upon itself a comical and almost unending series of un necessary wounds.
he PC addition prevents them from publishing accurate reproductions of PPB news releases and reports. The O never prints a full and accurate description of criminals, in the name of not offending anyone.
Similarly, the Oregonian literally refuses to print simple objective facts with which it disagrees. In its sports pages, look for he name of the Washington, D.C. NFL team. The O has decided that the fact of the team's name is offensive and refuses to print the name.
When, in the name of PC, the local paper refuses to print objective, observable facts in sports stories and in reprints of police reports, I have no confidence in the reporters or editors willingness or ability to print relevant facts in any story.
Hillariously, I received today in the mail a letter from the Oregonian's Kevin Denny, VP of Circulation, breathlessly announcing that I am to be, yet again, graced with a free, daily and Sunday, 26 week subscription to the Oregonian, delivered to my home. The letter announcing the amazing gift I am to receive is courtesy of the Oregonian's "partners", and bears the logos of the "partners", including a logo of a stylized Native American used by the Porland Winterhawks.
The Oregonian adherence o is PC idiocy is inversely proporional to the amount of money brought in. THe Winterhawks are paying money; the Oregonoian has no problem wih the logo.
Shame hat he same calculus didn't apply when i opined ad nausium about high school mascots, logos and nicknames.
No integrity at the Oregonian on any level.
Which is why the O is doomed.'
Posted by Nonny Mouse | November 8, 2012 6:50 PM
Nonny...
I'm a Winterhawks STH and no one offered ME a free subscription (morose sadness). It is indeed ironic that the PC Oregonian would miss this chance to walk their own walk... (but then again, I've always said that the only things true in the O are the date, the sports scores, and yesterdays temperatures.
FWIW, Its BlackHawk of whom you speak. He is REVERED among hockey fans as brave, strong, cunning, and fearless.
Symbol of the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the NHL "original six" teams.
There are very strong hockey connections between the original Portland Rosebuds and the Blackhawks, one of the reasons that we Portland Winterhawk fans are HONORED to have his likeness as our logo.
Cheers, Mike
Posted by It's Mike | November 8, 2012 7:08 PM