We once decried the loss of daily newspaper competitition in cities across America. Now the serious talk is of cities with NO daily newspapers. Major cities. Interesting article.

Without newspapers, the availability of news withers, if it doesn’t disappear entirely. To the extent that news is provided by other outlets, TV, radio, etc., it is mostly republication of newspaper-generated content or, at a minimum, driven by guidance from the daily newspaper coverage decisions.

Advertisement

This is particularly true in Little Rock, still home, despite recent cuts, to a daily newspaper with a far larger staff and far more news pages than you’ll find in comparable or even much larger cities.

I happen to think the presence here of relatively rich competing news reporting — from four TV stations, public radio, one commercial radio station, a well-staffed wire service bureau, a competing Arkansas newspaper group, the Ark. Times,Ark. Business and even some young Internet-only outlets — are encouraged, not discouraged, by a strong daily newspaper. There’s a yen for news in this market developed by a strong newspaper. News sells. That verity has been forgotten in far too many cities.

Advertisement

 

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article GOP sound and fury Next article School super shuffle