I’m not the best headline writer. Mine always seem a bit trite and cute but I know a good one when I see one and today’s headline on the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News tugged at my heart. It said simply “Goodbye, Colorado.” Nothing fancy. Just poignant as hell. Today was the swan song for the 149 year old newspaper and I must confess I’ve been tearing up as I’ve read the articles and columnists and their reflections of a life well lived. John Temple, the publisher, said this last edition would give them the opportunity to write their own obituary and they wanted to get it right. In my opinion, they nailed it. One really sensed that these journalists were part of something much bigger than themselves. For a storyteller like myself I was particularly touched with a sentence on the front page. It read “we part in sorrow because we know so much lies ahead that will be worth telling and we will not be there to do so.” It is hard for a journalist not to be part of the conversation: for a powerful voice to be suddenly silenced.
Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.
So how do we make sure that the voices raised by newspapers continue to be heard? To date no one seems to have come up with a profitable solution and the consequences are getting dire. Many of our nation’s respected newspapers are going bankrupt. In the dozen or so cities that still have two dailies, their days seem numbered. I for one am feeling guilty because I cancelled my subscription to the Rocky Mountain News a while back. Could I have been part of the reason for its demise? Did I put a nail in the coffin with my online readership and blogging? Did I take the newspaper for granted and help bring about the death of a respected voice in the community? With that hanging over my head, I realize I want to be part of the conversation on how to save print journalism. We need the press to continue helping the nation rise up.
I have been led to believe that no idea is a stupid one so I am throwing one out to the wind. Since so many people receive their news on line and so much advertising revenue has gone away there needs to be a revenue base so we don’t lose our papers. What if we bundled up newspapers around the country and people subscribed to a service like they do to cable television or wireless? They could choose their package. National and International. The largest dailies in the 50 states. A combination of local, regional and national publications. Maybe even throw in some news magazines. People would pay a monthly rate and then be charged a user fee depending on what they hit upon. The subscription fees would be doled out accordingly to help the newspapers pay their bills, support staff and news coverage, and be sustainable. It might not save the print version of newspapers but it might still allow reporters and editors and newsrooms to continue doing their work. That way we won’t see our newspapers die forever.
For more information on Vicky Collins visit http://teletrendstv.com
President Barack Obama & Vice-President Joe Biden
President Obama came to Denver today to sign the economic stimulus bill. He chose the Mile High City because it is on the cutting edge of green technologies he believes will take America into the future. I attended because I am producing a story on the impact of the economy on public hospitals. Stimulus dollars are going to provide relief for health care too. The story is slated to air on HDNet’s World Report (http://hd.net) on March 24. I was in the crowd as a producer of a documentary length story for television, as a photographer, a blogger and for the first time, a twitterer.
It was a powerful convergence of journalism and social networking. I was doing what journalists do, taking down facts and quotes for my larger story, but I was also taking photos for my blog and twittering in between. Within seconds of sending out tweets I had people texting me to tell me they were following my posts. When I returned home I saw that my blog had three times as many hits as usual. A month from now a 30 minute story about how the economic crisis is driving public hospitals into insolvency will air but today I broadcasted 140 word stories (@vickycollins) and was excited to discover that there was an audience for those too.
For more information about Vicky Collins visit http://teletrendstv.com
Darlene and Jacob. Teddy. Craig and Margie. All are the new faces of poverty. Six months ago each had jobs, homes and middle class incomes to support themselves and their families. Now two families are homeless and the other teeters on the brink. Their falls have been fast and hard. Darlene has a college degree and worked in the mortgage industry until October. Her husband Jacob was a tree trimmer. They made over $65,000 a year and at one time lived in a five bedroom home. Now they bounce from shelter to shelter with three children. They have each other and hope. That’s about it.
Teddy lost his job as a machine operator before Thanksgiving. This single dad is living in his father’s house now and was unable to afford his medical expenses when he recently broke two ribs. All he wants is work. Craig used to look at homeless people and say “get a job.” Then he lost his supervisor position at a shopping mall before Christmas. He had just returned from a training course in California. He got stiffed by his employer for the expense money. Now he sleeps under the railroad tracks and his fiancee, Margie, is in a shelter. They sell the Homeless Voice newspaper on the 16th Street Mall to survive. People walk by them as though they are invisible. Craig’s feet are covered with blisters from walking everywhere. Margie worries about Craig’s safety everytime she says goodnight to him. Now when he sees worse off homeless people he sometimes takes them leftover food or a smoke. He doesn’t view them the same way.
They say many of us are one paycheck or one crisis away from homelessness. As more and more people lose their jobs, their insurance and their homes, the face of homelessness is changing. The folks at Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (www.coloradocoalition.org) say its a state of emergency. The safety net is full of holes. For Darlene, Jacob, Teddy, Craig and Margie it just sucks.
For more information on Vicky Collins visit http://teletrendstv.com
Hi Julia,
Allied Jewish Federation has been reminding me of my $50 pledge which I have yet to pay. After doing a lot of soul searching I have decided not to honor the pledge. During the recent Israeli/Palestinian crisis I felt Allied Jewish Federation was very strident. What Hamas is doing is deplorable and as a Jew I grieve for Israel’s pain. I know the country has endured a lot and has been patient over the years. My support for Israel has never wavered but I also believe as Jews we need to work towards dialogue and reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews no matter how difficult the task. If we do not shift our energies and our resources there will never be peace in the region. I believe most Israelis and Palestinians want peace not war. They realize a need to co-exist and feel safe in their homes. The “eye for an eye” mentality no longer works in this world and we need more mature strategies. The more violence there is, the more hate there is, and unfortunately it is being passed from generation to generation. There are extremists and mistakes being made by people on both sides and innocent civilians continue to be caught in the middle. I believe we need to show commitment to Israelis and Palestinians in order to finally bring about peace. I have chosen to put my dollars behind organizations that are moving in this direction. My apologies.
Best, Vicky Collins
For more information on Vicky Collins visit http://teletrendstv.com
