All the News Print to Fit
Back around 1980 a couple of cub reporters and would-be Hearsts decided to publish a Camano newspaper. They figured the Stanwoodopolis Gazette never printed much of anything on island news so somebody ought to. Radical notion back then. Radical notion now, judging by the one, maybe two articles devoted to Camano even today.
Carolyn and Gary, the stalwart publishers, reporters and photographers of the Camano Sun, dug into their bank accounts and began printing news and articles about, and for, us islanders. Not really much of a paper, sort of one or two notches above gossip. But it was about the island, written by islanders, read by islanders. Meaning, the circulation of the Gazette was in imminent danger of losing half its readership. And more importantly half its advertisers. Red flags went up faster than small craft warnings before a winter gale.
I spoze a newspaper facing competition, even limited competition, might step it up a notch, might hire crack cub reporters and do some investigative journalism. After all, what we learned as 5th graders in American History class is competition drives us to strive harder, it’s what makes us better, it’s what powers the capitalistic system. There’s a reason we teach this in grade school.
The Gazette took a different route, but one, I think, just as American and maybe more so, although we don’t teach it in social studies classes. Rather than up their quality, they just bought up the little paper. And without the slightest embarrassment, called the new hybrid the Stanwood/Camano Gazette. Last week there were two articles related to the island. And one was a fluff piece. Two … in a weekly newspaper.
So obviously we’re back to pre-Reagan reportage for the South End and its suburbs to the north: gossip. Probably more accurate than Fox News or MSNBC, but journalism should be held to higher standards than this blogsite you’re reading now, I’m sure you’d agree. But sadly, you’re stuck with this. And hardbreaking stories of South End artists and their meteoric careers in the Gazette. All the news fit to print? Or stuff that fits around the advertising? There’s a reason newspapers are in trouble and some of it isn’t fiscal.
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