Leeway from Lloyd: Community newspapers aren’t dodos

When I graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1976, print journalism was in its heyday on multiple fronts.

Two years before that, U.S. President Richard Nixon resigned for his role in ordering the break-in and illegal wiretapping of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Washington, D.C., Watergate complex.

The plot was uncovered and reported by Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward which led to Nixon’s downfall.

Since then, it’s been the turn of print journalism and reporters to take a fall with the rise of digital communications and social media, in terms of timeliness, profitability, influence and job security.

Postmedia announced last week it is laying off 11 per cent of its 60 editorial employees in Canada due to rising costs, and declining advertising and circulation revenue.

In Alberta, Postmedia is switching 12 of its Alberta community newspapers to digitalonly formats and laying off workers in a bid to manage costs.

Personally, though I think digital media is the real dodo bird when it comes to community news coverage in smaller communities like Lloydminster. There is a lot to be said about printed community newspapers as they, along with ads and content, have a long shelf life to give advertisers and readers a good bang for their buck.

The Meridian Source also includes a lot of flyers that shoppers like and you can’t get in digital media or classified ads either.

The Source has an online paper too for breaking news or updating stories reported in the print version but it doesn’t hang around your kitchen for repeated reference.

When a printed newspaper suddenly goes online, it’s in danger of falling into the out-of-sight, out-of- mind trap, since you have to know what the website is or you can’t find it.

In digital media, you won’t see many community feature stories that thrive in print media. People won’t read them online with so many online distractions and you may need a paid subscription to access all the content. There is less sense of community online too as digital media tends to also cover provincial, national, and international news or links to these stories to look authoritative or complete.

Riddle me this: What’s black and white and read all over?

Answer: Newspapers. Read us next week, too, for free!

Through the reader’s lens ...

SHIRLEY L. SCOTT SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE

The changing seasons’ experience of fog has been a numberone weather topic for a while now. When you think of fog, you might reflect on the following:

- You can’t see through it and travel is difficult.

- You can’t see clearly ahead, and you feel anxious about the unknown ahead.

- Travel must be slower, and you must be more cautious.

- The obstacles ahead can’t be seen.

- It is difficult trying to follow a light or a sign ahead.

- The darkness causes a feeling of gloomy depression.

- When the fog lifts, there may be a bit the delight with the glimpse of light.

I pondered the effects of the fog on a person and found the comparison of the fog around us to living in