I’m still swamped at work (and sick w/ the flu), but this almost slipped by me until K8 pointed it out: The Saginaw News is virtually shutting down. Actually, a number of Michigan papers are in serious trouble.
I don’t just care about The Saginaw News because I grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. I also care because it was my first “real” job (not counting bagging groceries at the A&P or making fries at Arby’s). By sheer chance, the editor at the time (Paul Chaffee) offered me a job after I spent a day as a high school junior touring the place.
I spent the next three years working the weekend shift (Friday & Saturday nights), w/ occasional stints during the summers as an “intern” reporter (I actually got paid, unlike most interns). My weekend job involved me proofreading the paper, and doing other odd jobs to assist the weekend copy editor. The biggest perk was that I discovered a “webless” internet. During my down time I “surfed” the AP wire, reading any news story that seemed vaguely interesting.
But I also learned (I think) to write quickly & on deadline, and to edit quickly & on deadline. The skill proved very useful later in grad school. It also gave me a unique perspective on my hometown, since I was part of the only daily newspaper in my town (which covered several counties & had a 130,000+ circulation). I’ll never forget the opportunity The News editors gave me, or the thrill of seeing my byline on the front page (or any page, really). And I’ve always carried the possibility of freelance journalism in my back pocket because of them.
The News isn’t really closing down, of course. It’s going to be an online “paper” w/ a thrice a week paper edition. But it’s still sad to learn about.
I remember being proud when your name was in the paper and I saved that cool article you wrote about us up north.
Yeah the local paper here is also looking at not printing on Fridays... just one day a week cut for now. They laid off a ton of people. They practically pay you to take the paper. A weekly subscription is the same price as just getting the Sunday only.
What i found interesting in this Pew Research Center study was that only 55% of those who read a newspaper regularly would miss it if it was not available. This makes me think newspapers are doomed.
http://www.inquisitr.com/19871/study-finds-many-couldnt-care-less-if-newspapers-closed/