2008 Woodie Awards
How local are local media?
A look at the alternative press of the Twin Cities
By: Aaron Brown, Photo Editor
Issue date: 11/22/07 Section: Magazine Fall 2007
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At the risk of sounding too self-important, we journalists in the fourth estate hold a critical role in the distribution of information necessary for a well-informed populace and a stable democracy. Whether it's an important political scandal waiting to break or a light-hearted look at the local arts scene, it is the duty of the journalist to deliver these stories to the willing public in an accessible, factual, and relevant manner.
This reminder about the continuing importance of journalism brings us to the dilemma of the media in the 21st century; the prospects for print journalism have never looked so dim. The corporate media conglomerates continue to add airwaves and newspapers under their belts, Craigslist is devouring potential ad revenue, and the Internet/cable television phenomenon has enabled a new generation of citizens to obtain news whenever they want at the click of a mouse or remote control without ever touching newsprint. As newspapers continue to be purchased by MediaNews Group and other corporate entities, they lose their local ties to the community and their independence as they submit to corporate interests. Others are forced to cut costs to make ends meet, often firing the gritty journalists and relying on the Associated Press or Reuters for news.
These problems plaguing the national media as a whole are mirrored here in the Twin Cities. The Star Tribune, one of the 15 largest newspapers in the country, was sold in late 2006 to the private equity firm Avista Capital Partners for a staggeringly low $530 million, under half what the McClatchy Company, the previous owner, bought the paper for fewer than 10 years ago.
In an age of transnational corporate control of the media, increasing financial hardships on local media, and the rise of Internet-based institutions that siphon readers and advertising revenue, on what will the citizens of the Twin Cities rely for information and hard-hitting journalism related specifically to their hometown? The logical place to start would be the alternative press, often known as the alt-weeklies, although even here financial realities are taking their toll.
This reminder about the continuing importance of journalism brings us to the dilemma of the media in the 21st century; the prospects for print journalism have never looked so dim. The corporate media conglomerates continue to add airwaves and newspapers under their belts, Craigslist is devouring potential ad revenue, and the Internet/cable television phenomenon has enabled a new generation of citizens to obtain news whenever they want at the click of a mouse or remote control without ever touching newsprint. As newspapers continue to be purchased by MediaNews Group and other corporate entities, they lose their local ties to the community and their independence as they submit to corporate interests. Others are forced to cut costs to make ends meet, often firing the gritty journalists and relying on the Associated Press or Reuters for news.
These problems plaguing the national media as a whole are mirrored here in the Twin Cities. The Star Tribune, one of the 15 largest newspapers in the country, was sold in late 2006 to the private equity firm Avista Capital Partners for a staggeringly low $530 million, under half what the McClatchy Company, the previous owner, bought the paper for fewer than 10 years ago.
In an age of transnational corporate control of the media, increasing financial hardships on local media, and the rise of Internet-based institutions that siphon readers and advertising revenue, on what will the citizens of the Twin Cities rely for information and hard-hitting journalism related specifically to their hometown? The logical place to start would be the alternative press, often known as the alt-weeklies, although even here financial realities are taking their toll.
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