Another newspaper prints its last edition

Doubtless you've heard by now that The Seattle Post-Intelligencer will publish its last edition tomorrow.

Anyone who values in-depth reporting will be mourning the loss of that newspaper -- and the 150+ reporters, copy editors, photographers, graphic designers, editors and other staff who will be losing their jobs and likely unable to secure a new one in journalism for the foreseeable future.

Here's a video of the announcement in the newsroom:



Yes, many will be rooting for seattlepi.com to carry on the tradition of the oldest newspaper in the state (actually older than statehood).

I hope that many also will be rooting for the survival of the last newspaper in Seattle, the Times. The economic forces that any newspaper faces today are gargantuan. The New York Times recently carried an important story with an incredible map that shows the carnage across the country.

There is no guarantee that the press will remain a vital force in our democracy or that there will be a Fourth Estate that is bold enough with deep enough pockets to take on big Government, big Business or big Anything.

Right now this important duty is left to the free markets -- and we know the free markets can occasionally fail. We all have opinions on this, and the New York Times has an interesting aggregation of opinions about the future of news.

What's your opinion about all this?
Where do you get your news?

The next time you click on a story or headline online, try tracing back to the source. If you think it's radio or television, you can bet that most of their stories are driven by newspaper reporters. It's not a judgment; it's simple math. Newspapers field bigger staffs and have the capacity and longevity for doing the work.

I thought I would share with the group a remarkable video of the end of another underdog paper in another two newspaper town, Denver.


Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.



I don't have any answers yet to this economic freefall facing newspapers. For now, I just wish everyone could adopt their local newspaper.

Show your support in whatever way you feel comfortable. Show your support for the Fourth Estate as those of us who care about public-interest journalism try to find a sustainable business model for the 21st century.