An Example of How Newspapers are Killing Themselves
The following is an opinionated media observation, not a political statement, endorsement or position.
Media here, not politics; got it?
Here we go…
I fully understand the awful challenges of operating a newspaper today and how so many newspapers have gone under because of those obstacles.
I respect that the talented people working at newspapers and even owning newspapers are also frustrated by the operational constraints forced upon them by plunging readership and ad revenues.
However, the fact remains that a newspaper’s primary goal is to report the news of the day, without bias.
I’ll make that goal even shorter: report the news.
On the early evening of Saturday, July 13, former United States President (and current Republican nominee for President) Donald Trump was shot by an attempted assassin in Pennsylvania. Trump was hit by a bullet but has recovered from the wound.
It is a big story in America when anyone tries to assassinate a presidential candidate (or worse, succeeds)…but this candidate was also a former President. As far as news stories go…you really don’t get much bigger.
And for a Sunday newspaper edition – often a newspaper’s biggest circulation day- there will be a LOT of people who will be searching for the in-depth reporting that is the key point of difference a newspaper offers the media consuming public.
There was a time in the newspaper industry when publishers would have stopped the presses and redesigned the front page (even deliver the papers late) to make sure they got the FULL story into the hands of readers.
A political assassination attempt (regardless of political party) IS front page news…unless you are The Buffalo News in Buffalo, New York.
Not unlike some other newspapers in America, The Buffalo News seems to pre-set its Sunday edition front page section – well in advance of publication – to…save money, I suppose. If there is a breaking news story, I guess they could run it in an inner section?
As you can see from the graphic on this blog, The Buffalo News – the newspaper of my hometown – did not redesign the front page to carry the assassination story. They missed the story completely on their front page. There was not a story ANYWHERE in The Buffalo News Sunday, July 14th edition (that I saw) about the attempted murder of President Trump on July 13th.
An attempted presidential assassination omitted from the front page of a U.S. newspaper. Wow.
While all of what I have written here is opinion – what I am about to say is especially opinion, as I have no facts to back this up, save for having some personal knowledge about media professionals taking pride in their jobs: somebody or many somebodies on the Editorial side working Saturday at The Buffalo News very likely screamed their fool heads off to get that story in print for Sunday’s run. I have faith they tried but were foiled one way or another, probably by accountants.
And no, I don’t think this story’s omission was for any kind of political reason or bias. This was financial, all the way…in my opinion.
BTW, some years ago while I was inside The Buffalo News offices in downtown Buffalo, I saw the company proudly hung history making front pages of their newspaper on their walls – including, as I recall, the death of President John F. Kennedy by an assassin’s bullet.
There will not be a page hung on the wall for July 14, 2024.
If there hasn’t been already, there will be excuses proffered and reasons given by the newspaper as to why The Buffalo News omitted the story. They are just excuses and are, in fact, inexcusable if your primary purpose is to report the news.
The exclusion would be tragic if it wasn’t so pathetic. Or worse, maybe I am one of only a few who noticed or even cared.
Irresponsible omissions of professional journalism like this allow newspapers to prove their own irrelevance. Certainly The Buffalo News has done that here.
If the Buffalo Bills are more front page worthy in July, the day after some tried to kill a U.S. President, just reformat the News to a sports tabloid and call it a day. What about Digital? Local newspapers have already lost that space to more talented digital news services. For the most part, it seems local newspapers can’t win there. For the most part, local newspapers are not winning there.
While all of what I have written here is opinion – what I am about to say is especially opinion, as I have no facts to back this up, save for having some personal knowledge about media professionals taking pride in their jobs: somebody or many somebodies on the Editorial side working Saturday at The Buffalo News very likely screamed their fool heads off to get that story in print for Sunday’s run. I have faith they tried but were foiled one way or another, probably by accountants.
It’s over for newspapers and those involved in their publication.
It’s truly sad, heartbreaking, to witness the newspaper industry’s slow suicide.