We really need to do all we can to save newspapers. This is sad evidence of it.
As a print journalist from many years ago I can tell you that had it not been for newspapers I would not be a working writer today. The chops you get from working on a very tight deadline and with very stringent editors leave you with a writing practice that is unassailable for the rest of your life.
Not everyone is ever going to be online and it’s short-sighted to just think we can continuously do away with print media. What’s really happening when we’re doing that is we’re also increasing the ever-growing digital divide in our country and this hurts everyone. Access to news about your community, your state, your government should be available to everyone and should be well-vetted and written by journalists who write because they love the truest part of being a journalist.
