The era of the big-city newspaper as a dependable beacon for the American people is over. Charles Madigan's -30- is the story of the decline of an important institution, the American newspaper, told in a collection of incisive pieces by practitioners of the art and craft of journalism. At heart it's an insider's story, but with serious and vast consequences in the world beyond the newsroom. -30- considers the impact of technology, management policy, and social values on the operations of the press and its changing marketplace.
Charles Madigan, senior editor and correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, teaches at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Way It Was. The Way It Is 3 Money, Technology, Tax Law, and Trouble Elizabeth M. Neiva 11 What Happened to the Readers? David Carr 19 Everybody Watches the New York Times Rachel Smolkin 23 Trapped in Transition Joseph Epstein 45 Fighting the Vortex Rick Edmonds 58 The Wrong Way to Make Money Philip Meyer 72 Tribune Company: Synergy's Broken Promise Rachel Smolkin 86 Money! Money! Money! The Profits-versus-Quality War Neil Hickey 106 Embracing Extinction: The 1970s and Newspaper Decline Jack Shafer 128 Glory Days: The Billionaire Solution Michael Wolff 133 Heartbreak on Wheels: The Philadelphia Inquirer Michael Shapiro 144 Still a Powerful Voice John Nichols 175 Can the Los Angeles Times Survive Its Owners? Ken Auletta 190 Hidden Goldfields: Small-town Papers Roger Plothow 210 How to Tune Back In David T. Z. Mindich 213 Credits 233 Index 235
"This collection of essential, revealing essays shines a bright light into some dark corners."--(Joseph L. Galloway, co-author of We Were Soldiers Once...and Young)
Tom Ferrick
"A must read for anyone interested in the fate of the print media....Madigan has done a masterful job . . . "--(Tom Ferrick, Philadelphia Inquirer)
Joseph L. Galloway
There was a golden age of newspapers, and Charles Madigan got a taste of that before living through the fall to where we are today, worrying about extinction. It's important to know how the business was ruined and why, and this collection of essential, revealing essays shines a bright light into some dark corners.
Eric Alterman
"A useful and eclectic collection about what looks to be a national tragedy. Let's hope it inspires some creative solutions."--(Eric Alterman, author of What Liberal Media?)
