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There are journalists, but no editorial offices; the trend has been observed for several years in American newspapers. Now it has accelerated with the coronavirus pandemic, driven by both economic and health-epidemiological reasons, AFP points out.
The New York Daily News, the Miami Herald or the Baltimore News have officially terminated their editorial leases in recent months, followed by a dozen other newspapers.
The owner of some of these publications, Tribune Publishing Group, justified its decision with the need for caution against the coronavirus. A spokesperson for the group said that after the pandemic they will reconsider the issue of where to stay, BTA reported.
But most of the newspapers that have terminated their lease for editorial space say their offices will not reopen.
“I don’t think it’s about the pandemic, it’s about the fact that we’ve shown that we can work from home and still make a newspaper,” said Daniela Altimari, a journalist and union member for Hartford Current in Connecticut. Tribune Publishing officially closed the editorial office in early December.
“The newsroom is a factory of ideas. Ideas are born when you talk to colleagues,” Altimari said with regret in his voice.
According to Victor Picard, a professor of media economics at the University of Pennsylvania, some media groups are taking advantage of the pandemic to cut costs.
Giants like the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal will keep their newsrooms. They were able to develop their business model to compensate for declining advertising revenue and declining paper sales as a result of the advent of digital technology.
“But for newspapers that cannot make money, thanks to online subscribers, that is, for almost all publications except the three national newspapers, not much can be done,” said Victor Picard. He added that the owners of these publications will continue to reduce costs.
According to Marike Rowland, the “no edit” formula could become the dominant model for the American press. He remembers with regret the newsrooms, where there is something like alchemy, when many reporters are in the same room. The newsroom is vibrating and its closure is an unimaginable loss for the local press in particular. “But I still admit that it’s better to close spaces than jobs,” said Rowland, who works for the Modesto Bee in California, owned by the McClachie group.
Not everywhere. Harfort Current has lost nearly a quarter of its staff since January, said Emily Breedley, a member of the journalists union. For her, the “no edit” model is intolerable.
Large media groups have also continued another trend in recent months, merging publications, reducing distribution or frequency, and even closing printers.
Investment funds with radical methods also appeared. Like Alden Global Capital, which controls almost 100 publications and has also been on the lookout for Tribune Publishing, or Chatham Assets Management, which McClachie recently acquired when it went bankrupt.
In the case of local publications, the only way out is to buy them from local investment groups or turn them into non-profit companies under the auspices of a foundation. However, this is possible if current owners want to secure a future for a publication and larger media groups are not interested in volume, said Dan Kennedy, a professor at Northwestern University.
According to Victor Picard, in the end there will invariably be state grants. “I don’t think the market can financially support the level of journalism that a democratic society needs,” he said.
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