Media Archive

Jul 25, 2009 | 1 Comment

Newspapers Aren’t Dead

Technology is just changing the rules.
by Toby Brink
For the past few years, bloggers, TV reporters, industry analysts and even some newspaper people themselves have argued that daily newspapers are dead.
There are several reasons why this is not the case.
Those that predict newspapers’ demise cite dwindling subscription rates, dramatic cuts to editorial staff and coverage, and [...]

May 09, 2009 | 3 Comments

Bay Area an incubator for changing journalism

by Frank Holland
Senate committee hearings are rarely known for excitement. They’re usually staid affairs marked by dull policy jargon.
But when the hearings involve steroid-enhanced professional athletes or the cathartic excoriation of greedy bankers, congressional testimony becomes high drama.
I hoped for some type of dramatic exchange – or at least some new ideas – from Wednesday’s [...]

Apr 27, 2009 | 3 Comments

Newspapers: the DeLorean of the New Era

Okay. We get it. Newspapers are defunct. They never even had a viable profit model because they succeeded only by selling classified ads to support their journalism and printing costs, sort of like DeLorean selling coke to keep making his cars.
by Erik Aker
A few weeks ago San Francisco Chronicle editor Phil Bronstein was on the [...]

Apr 14, 2009 | 0 Comments

The PG&E of Newspapers

Clint Reilly
One utility company dominates Northern California. But what if one corporation controlled every daily newspaper?
Newspaper firms argue that monopolies – which streamline production and editorial costs – are the only way for financially beleaguered metropolitan dailies to survive.
The California Public Utilities Commission regulates PG&E for consumers. But who regulates a monopoly newspaper?
If large media [...]

Apr 13, 2009 | 3 Comments

Your New Job: News Distributor

Where will we get the news of tomorrow? Probably from each other, according to Jeff Jarvis.
Long gone are the halcyon days of the neighborhood paperboy tossing ink-on-paper into our front yards. As Jeff Jarvis explains, news distribution is becoming a community endeavor:

Mar 18, 2009 | 0 Comments

Chronicle gone-icle!

In recent weeks, Hearst has announced that it may sell or close the Chronicle due to headline-making losses.
Two weeks ago, Maitland “Sandy” Zane – a longtime writer at the San Francisco Chronicle – died of cancer at 80 years of age. Sandy never won a Pulitzer.
But, like many of the great characters who passed through [...]

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Politics as it should be

Aug 11, 2009 | 0 Comments

March on Sacramento

Jul 25, 2009 | 1 Comment

Newspapers Aren’t Dead

Jul 21, 2009 | 0 Comments

Culture of Capitol-ism

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Oct 19, 2009

Oakland Local Goes Live!

If you live, work or play in Oakland, do yourself a favor and get over to Oakland Local, the newest, freshest source of Oakland-specific news and commentary on the web. Spearheaded by Susan Mernit and backed by a Knight Foundation grant, Oakland Local is another great addition to the growing community of East Bay news and blog sites.

Sep 14, 2009

Thanks BART

Nothing like paying more and getting less:

Starting at 7pm tonight, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District will cut its service by 25% during non-peak periods (ie, most of the time). This compares unfavorably to AC Transit’s 15% service cut, and was not accompanied by a public input process like the one AC Transit has undertaken in recent weeks. (Full story)