The Economy and the Decline of Print Media

Paul Starr’s “Goodbye to the Age of Newspapers” presented some very interesting ideas on the decline of print media. In addition to the quantitative reductions that local newspapers have experienced as a result of the recent economic decline, the substance and content of news coverage as a whole has also deteriorated. As he links the decline of the newspaper to the recent waning of American economy, Starr asserts that the rise of internet news sources and TV news broadcasts has also minimized the viability of the newspaper.

Ultimately, I found Starr’s piece engaging for two main reasons. First, he highlights the impact of the economy on citizen competency. Starr emphasizes that economic downturn has additional impacts besides higher unemployment rates and financial crisis. His piece is a reminder of how seemingly unrelated factors can affect the citizen’s ability and/or willingness to meaningfully participate in democratic political activities. Furthermore, the rise of television and internet news sites has crippled print economy. As Starr explains, print journals and newspapers help keep tabs on local corruption. Typically, internet and TV sources are less successful at accomplishing this objective. Along the same lines, he points out that when newspapers become financially compromised, their ethical compass is also jeopardized. Recently, the state of the economy has forced newspaper owners to decide between meaningful reporting and revenue. The state of the economy coupled with the rise of internet and television news reports have forced print media outlets to turn to the internet to advance their readership. However, Starr explains that “either way, by giving away their content or limiting access, they may be digging their own grave.” They have had to search for ways to “monetize” online readership. Ultimately, the issue that Starr discusses seems greater than the simple decline of print media. It appears that there are institutional impediments—via the economy—that hinder the ability of the citizenry to effectively participate in American democracy.

The second main reason I found Starr’s piece very interesting was a result of the correction notes found at the end of the article. Over the course of the class, we have continually alluded to and discussed the media’s role in democracy and their power and influence over the American citizenry. I found it very reassuring that an online article had corrections- even if they were minor (although The New Republic is also physically published). Despite the negative impact of the economy and internet news reports on the production and viability of print media, I found the admission of error in this article to be very positive and optimistic. Some media outlets--even non-print sources--do hold themselves accountable to the public. If every news outlet understood the responsibility and role they played in the effectiveness of the citizenry, we would have a much healthier democracy.