Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Pritchard Paints Gloomy Picture for News Junkies

Calling the web a "black hole," former Newseum director, and one time editor of USA Today, Peter Pritchard talked about the perfect storm which had driven the daily newspaper into a tailspin down a swirling vortex.

Pritchard appeared Monday at the Wadsworth Mansion in the first Party With a Purpose sponsored by the Middlesex County Community Foundation.

Pritchard cited Craigslist, department store mergers, an economic downturn, and the rise of news on the web as nails in the coffin of the printed daily newspaper.   The news was not a revelation to the gathered audience of news readers, but occasionally when Pritchard cited figures indicating the loss of revenue, a collective groan arose from the thoughtful group.

Pritchard didn't hold out much hope for the local print media, but felt that people would find news one way or another with or without a trustworthy gatekeeper.

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