Toby

Chicago Sun Times fires all of their "full-time" photographers one of who was a Pulitzer Prize winner. They said they were "seeking more video content with their news".

Will next step be to fire writers as well and use only Twitter and Facebook clips? What about credibility and dual (at least) sources for their stories? Like it or not good newspapers were a place we could turn to to get reliable information. Is the world turning to internet like sources? Not only can't you believe most of the internet BS but you can't even wrap your dead fish in it.

jim charron Loc: Ontario Canada

No more newspapers, what are we going to wrap our
fish and chips in ?

Radioman Loc: Ontario Canada

This should be in the general chit-chat area:

When business people who know little about a business, look at the costs and profits, they often make cuts that look good on paper, but end up being fatal for the company.

Many papers intended for the general public attract customers by the photographs, not the text. One of the big successes of this is the British "Daily Mirror".

The decision by the Chicago Sun to fire the photographers may have cut costs, but they may have also cut what attracted their customers and find out that they no longer have the sales to stay in business.

A classic example of this was Radio Shack in Canada. They were a profitable business. Then those in charge started looking at what made the most and least profit. The small electronic components took a large area in the store, but gave the least profit, so they dropped most of the small electronic components. Sales went down so they reduced the area for small electronic components even more to give more space to higher priced items. Sales went right down and they went out of business, never realizing why.

It was the small electronic components that brought people into their stores and while there, other items were bought.

When these components were removed from their stores, they lost the customers who wanted them and then found they could not compete with the other 'big box' stores ... and went out of business.

Radio Shack U.S.A. did realize in time and increased their small electronic components stock and stayed in business.

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

Since it's Chicago, does that mean they're all dead from bullet wounds.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

Hi Toby,
Where did you ever get the idea 'we could turn to' newspapers for reliable information? I worked for a newspaper company for ten years and nearly daily, observed how the information which came directly from two wire services read one way, and by the time it was published in our paper, how it read sometimes with a totally different or even opposite meaning! Publishing 'editors' have total control and even by inserting a single word can, many times give a totally different meaning to a statement. This was most evident in political articles, where the 'honest newspaper' would publish same, modified to their party's liking instead of how it was originally. That's when I learned the statement, "It's true, because I read it in the newspaper", was certainly not true.

Toby

I understand and often agree with your point. I should have said that relative to other sources the newspapers (check that "most newspapers") are more objective than any other source, particularly the internet, twitter, etc. Unfortunately some of the big boys like to have their paper quoted and sell their integrity in order to get that.

emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun

This is probably one of most ridiculous statements I've ever read: "...newspapers are more objective than any other source...". Actually, it's sadly funny.

Toby

What is your source?

emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun

66 of years living on this planet, in the USA, and having to read these newspapers since there were no alternatives, for many years. And from this experience, I was easily able to determine just how biased the press really is. If you are truly interested, there are many books available on the subject. Here's one to get you started - http://www.amazon.com/Bias-Insider-Exposes-Distort-ebook/dp/B0026IUP2C/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370274997&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=journalsim+bias

macc Loc: Ventura, Ca.

Radio Shack is one of the businesses in the US predicted to go under in the next 18 months...

Irontruck Loc: Phoenix, AZ

The constitution. It is not currently being used!

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

Irontruck, I really like your avatar !

Radioman Loc: Ontario Canada

Possibly, but for the reverse reason. Hobbyists and Radio Amateurs are now finding it cheaper to buy complete commercial kit instead of making themselves. With the resulting drop in demand for electronic components, Radio Shack (USA) are finding themselves in the same situation as RadioShack Canada was, trying to compete with the 'big box' stores. In addition, the lowering standard of education is giving us a generation of people unable to even construct kits, never mind design them.

wildconc2001 Loc: Chicagoland

That is a nice avatar but I recommend that he use autofocus instead of manually doing it. The arm is going to give out in that avatar!!

Toby

I am waiting for you to name a source of current unbiased news.