As I have written before, every part of society is affected by coronavirus. Though we aren’t all affected equally, with the better paid able to work from home, the coronavirus touches all of our lives. This is certainly the case for the media, not least the newspaper industry. With circulation already falling over the decades, it is unsurprising publications are suffering even more. When people go shopping, they are hardly going to think about buying a publication; food is their necessity.
The death of the newspaper industry, just like the death of radio and TV, has been discussed for almost as long as newspaper circulation has fallen. Perhaps, like the end of the world, it is something that will never truly happen. But given papers as varied as the Express and the Guardian are offering free delivery, the desire for publications to reach their readers is clearly as strong as ever. I suppose the trade links not only to declining sales but ineffective advertising revenue. Companies will surely wonder what’s the point of advertising their product in the newspaper when their product can’t be purchased for weeks to come. I remember on my day visiting the Guardian we were told the adverts were always the first to be uploaded onto any design of the next day’s paper. They are vital, even in The Sun or Daily Mail which sell extremely well. Newspapers are meant to be profit making organisations. Not funded by the state, they are reliant on readers to justify the costs of paying their reporters, the costs of printing and all the daily expenses that go into running a newsroom. Despite newsprint being a cheap form of paper, it is no easy task to print hundreds of thousands of newspapers, especially if only a fraction are eventually sold by the newsagents. I can see then why it is hard to get into the print news industry and feel inspired to remain. Though I would potentially like to work for a regional or national newspaper in the future, the level of losses the company makes wouldn’t inspire me towards that direction. I suppose if anyone wants a secure job career, journalism is not the place to go. It is understandable then, that journalists would choose to remain at the same organisation for decades. The desire for profit above all else clearly affects the type of stories that receive coverage. For many redtops or mid-market papers, stories on the hot weather, celebrity gossip or Madeleine McCann are deemed most popular. While this is of course a generalisation, it reflects the selective nature of the publications. If the papers are focusing on political matters, the alleged dangers of immigration and the European Union are deemed to be worthy of individual’s focus. Inevitably then, a newspaper is framed by its proprietors. Naturally, an individual investing large amounts of money into an entity wants to affect its political direction. Lord Rothermere, who owns the Mail publications, Metro and ‘i’ is therefore unique in not wanting to interfere in the latter’s independence. Even if the interference is not direct, individuals will surely realise stories must be framed in a particular narrative. This can lead to worthy topics and injustices being ignored. Newspapers want readers and so focus on what generates sales. The clickbait culture is nothing new, it has been presented in the press long before the internet was invented. Newspapers often want to create stories that bring enjoyment to their readers. But what is enjoyable is not the same as what is satisfying. Despite then, newspapers meaning to be investigations of the truth, very little meaningful investigation can take place. If newspaper investors realise investigations covered bring little return and cost too much, it is understandable why their money would be directed towards easy topics (like showbusiness) which generate a reader return. I maintain discomfort about this. A publication like the Guardian is far from perfect. It has its flaws just like every other newspaper. But at least it, and to some extent the Times, seek to go beyond the ignorance is bliss narrative. Their investigations are willing to deliver a damning verdict on the government or a crisis that would otherwise be ignored. Indeed, readers of the red tops may be experiencing that crisis but turn to a newspaper as a form of release from this. I suppose the question depends on to what extent newspapers are public service entities. Should they simply be based around whatever is popular? They are private organisations, I value press freedom as much as the next person and don’t want interference from government. But for many, newspapers may be their only form of information about the day. People deserve to be aware that the content they are reading is framed around a specific editorial line and ideology. And these editorial lines may be popular. It may generate revenue to focus on the easy topics over hard hitting ones. But that could be extremely damaging for democracy and accountability. What does it mean for organisations that are devoted to investigation but don’t receive attention? Do we simply allow them to fall by the wayside? It represents one of the many reasons why I could never be a free marketer, for what is popular isn’t necessarily what is correct or brings fulfilment. The distinction between those characteristics has to be made clear. I want to defend the press. Especially when new forms of unchecked media have entered the public discourse, a body of publications devoted to holding power accountable and ensuring change is delivered has to be a good thing. But what the majority enjoy reading doesn’t necessarily bring fairness or satisfaction towards all. While newspapers continue to lose money, it will be a worrying, and sad day, when the depth of stories covered is reduced even further. The UK needs a press that is diverse of opinions and perspectives: it should be the duty of readers and proprietors to seek out those stories to further the pursuit of the truth and hold power to account.
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