Hey, Mark… It takes journalists, not friends

By William E. (Bill) Garber

 

“Facebook Shows Off New Home Page Design, Including Bigger Pictures” (New York Times headline from March 7, 2013, edition story written by Somini Sengupta)

Mark Zuckerberg described the social network’s new look for its News Feed as a “personalized newspaper” that allows users to choose the topics they’re most interested in.

“Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s co-founder and chief executive, said at a news conference that he wanted Facebook to be “the best personalized newspaper in the world.” And like a newspaper editor, he wants the “front page” of Facebook to be more engaging — in particular on the smaller screens of mobile devices.”  Click Here for article.  

Well … How about a newspaper about people you know?

OK … my question is, If I don’t see how I matter in the larger world or the larger world matters in my world, what is the chance my friends are going to help me? … Where is the news that will help me understand how my life is likely to go in the coming few hours, days, or years?

The huddled masses are not going to be much if any help with that.

It takes journalists, not friends.

And we have seen the layoffs of journalists in great numbers … and, no, blogging is not journalism.  I need more than opinion.  I need scope and credibility and meaning, another word for context, and I also need a voice … I need to be heard, to know that the change makers will tend to what matters to me and those like me …

Blogs are one-way streets, even if they have a comment tool … commenting on a blog is like a rally in Iowa, when the change makers are in Beijing.

It is pretty clear.  America needs journalists.  And journalism depends on money, and plenty of it.

The reason journalists are gone, is the money is gone. 

Bringing the money back is critical to newspapers.  Let’s start with community newspapers … and there is no need to stop with them.