July/Aug 2020
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www.newsandtech.com www.newsandtech.com July/August 2020 The premier resource for insight, analysis and technology integration in newspaper and hybrid operations and production. Abernathy: Public must know what’s at stake u NEWS & TECH STAFF REPORT Source: UNCSource: Hussman School of Journalism and Media across the political spectrum, the industry spectrum as well as on the very local level of what is re- ally at stake. And what is at stake is our grassroots democracy if we don't have the information to make informed decisions about issues that are going to affect our democracy and our society. What I have been pleased about over the last two years is I think Penny Abernathy there has been a real reckoning in the industry that we need to News & Tech had a chance in do things differently. We need to July to talk to powerhouse re- think about things differently. That searcher Penny Abernathy, au- much is at stake in terms of the vi- thor of “News Deserts and Ghost ability economically as well as a Newspapers: Will Local News tem,” says the report. socially for our news organiza- Survive?” The 2020 report, which documents Yet in a Pew Research Center survey re- tions. and analyzes the loss of local news and its leased last year, three-fourths of respondents What I think the coronavirus has also done implications for our democracy, is the fourth were unaware of the financial struggles lo- on the political level is really bring it home offering in a series from North Carolina’s cal media face. This troubles Abernathy. “My to local politicians, state politicians and con- Hussman School of Journalism and Media. main concern remains raising public aware- gressional politicians who rely very heavily Since the last report, “The Expanding News ness of what is stake,” she says. “That’s where on the local news organizations to get the Desert,” was published in 2018, 300 papers I think we really need to still do work.” message out. Those local news organizations have closed and print newspaper circulation Abernathy, a former executive with The can be anything from digital outlets, to news has dropped by 5 million, says the report. Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, organizations to local television stations. Amid laments from many inside the industry, has for 12 years been the Knight Chair in What I think is most concerning about consolidation has increased. Coronavirus Journalism and Digital Media Economics at this is that if you look at what was happen- has only sped the decline. the University of North Carolina. ing even before the coronavirus, we saw “All of this raises anew fears of an ‘extinc- that we were losing news organizations and tion-level event’ that destroys many of the News & Tech: “This is a watershed year, and newspapers as well as digital outlets. What survivors and newcomers, and leads to the the choices we make in 2020 — as citizens, we stand the risk of doing is accelerating that collapse of the country’s local news ecosys- policymakers and industry leaders — will de- loss, which was already beginning to gain termine the future of the local momentum in the last two or three years. news landscape,” says the re- port. What are you seeing in the News & Tech: In 2019, the Knight Founda- year so far concerning those tion pledged $300 million over five years to choices? support local news initiatives. What other Abernathy: There are some foundations are providing funding and what choices that need to be made general results have these efforts produced? at the community level, at the Abernathy: That was a very significant state level as well as at the na- pledge by the Knight Foundation of $300 tional level. One of the priori- million and there have been similar match- ties from me in doing this series ing pledges by Facebook and Google match- of reports is to raise awareness Abernathy continues on page 3 News & Tech July/August 2020 u 1 www.newsandtech.com — Let’s write the future. With retrofit solutions that give your press another ten years of life. ABB’s retrofit solutions for newspaper presses will extend the productive life of your press, improve print quality, reduce waste and improve efficiency — for a fraction of the cost of a new press. Worried about the availability of spare parts for your existing controls? With an ABB retrofit you know that spares will be available worldwide for ten to fifteen years. Whether looking for replacement drives, new controls, conversion to shaftless or a complete press reconfiguration, ABB has the right solution for you. The key to the future of your printing business lies with ABB. www.abb.com/printing 2 t July/August 2020 News & Tech ABB-Ad_Newsandtech_228x276_a.indd 1 21.07.2017 07:51:57 www.newsandtech.com Abernathy from page 1 mid-sized communities that do not have a have very much to do with the loss of ad- ing that. And Knight has committed to trying lot of philanthropic sources they can turn to, vertising caused by the coronavirus. Most to raise awareness among other foundations whether it’s the citizens who are economi- of the publishers I've talked to have seen of the very critical need right now to think cally struggling or whether it’s foundations anywhere from a 40 to 50% decline in ad- about news not just as a democratic need, that have not been set up or philanthropic vertising in the second quarter versus what but a cultural need for community founda- organizations that are strapped meeting oth- they expected. And of course, third quarter tions as well as family foundations. There er needs in those communities. is often a very slow quarter for newspapers, have been several who have not been able so without additional support from govern- to make as much of a contribution as Knight News & Tech: What trends do you see in ment, there's a real chance we're going to but have stepped up. For instance, the Gates government funding for media, particularly see a decline in newspapers. Family Foundation has stepped up in Colo- newspapers? The other thing is, not only is there a short- rado to look at how to bring various news Abernathy: I think over the last year a gen- term issue, but there are longer, deeper-term organizations together and some solutions, eral consensus is emerging in a bipartisan issues and we need to really have a holis- including looking at potentially local public way in Congress as well as interest among tic notion of what we want in terms of local funding of news organizations. There have the governmental agencies that we really news organizations and how we how we been examples of foundations being formed need to do something to think seriously get them back to a journalistic mission in at newspapers around the country, from about what is going to replace the print ver- which they are covering communities that community foundations that are set up to sion of the newspaper that we’ve relied on need them the most. That could be through take donations and contributions from other from almost 250 years in this country to increased public funding for initiatives that institutions and citizens to support newspa- keep us informed on the variety of issues. encourage partnerships or increased public pers. We’re going to have to see a lot of that. I'm delighted that there are a number of funding for initiatives that encourage report- My main concern in terms of philanthropy proposals before Congress that have biparti- ers to cover specific areas. We need to think gets back to the main concern I have about san support, some of them COVID-related. holistically about how we get through this where we have lost newspapers. A lot of We detailed a whole range of those in the transition period until we develop a variety the philanthropy tends to be centered on 2020 report. of business models that are going to carry the major metro areas and often where we I think that what we need to do is back newspapers specifically into the 21st cen- are losing news sources is in the small and up and say there are short-term issues that tury and beyond. p Tribune standardizes workflow across print sites u NEWS & TECH STAFF REPORT — Let’s write the future. With retrofit solutions that give your press another ten years of life. Kurt Moody, Sun-Sentinel production manager. ABB’s retrofit solutions for newspaper presses will extend the productive life of Tribune Publishing Co. said it deployed the NewsWayX workflow sys- tivity capabilities for publishers around the world. 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The new centralized, cloud-based system replaces 70 disparate serv- controls, conversion to shaftless or a complete press reconfiguration, ABB has the Recent months have underscored the importance of remote connec- ers spread across Tribune’s production sites.