As newspapers undergo changes, some like David Simon, creator of The Wire, are worried that local coverage will be effected. Simon recently appeared on Bill Moyers Journal and yesterday at a Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet hearing on the "Future of Journalism,” according to Tech Crunch.
Democracy Now, with in a video excerpt, says: "Simon calls for a non-profit model in the newspaper industry, saying 'raw unencumbered capitalism is never the answer when a public trust or public mission is at issue.'"
Oddly, Gawker's Ryan Tate takes off in another direction, defending blogging and citizen journalism in David Simon: Dead-Wrong Dinosaur, via an agreeing Recovering Journalist. In any case, Gawker does provide some examples of success using Oakland (of all places) as an example. But Tate does make a good point -- and there are more examples of local reporting success posted by PBS' MediaShift in Your Guide to Local Watchdog News Sites not long ago.
Whatever the case, 'easing the ban on cross ownership with broadcasters won't save them' is the view of panel chairman Sen. John Kerry. The Poynter Institute has more substantial details, including a video of the entire hearing; see Senate Hearing Spotlights Three Hard Truths About the Future of Journalism.
Finally in another piece making rounds, the very connected Walter Pincus writes about Newspaper Narcissism: Our pursuit of glory led us away from readers in the Columbia Journalism Review.
Update: also, YouTube Goes Local with "News Near You".
Update 2: The Recovering Journalist talks about local news in Baltimore, the city of The Wire, in Choices in Charm City. He also recommends the interesting Xark post The newspaper suicide pact.
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