Many years ago I subscribed to a magazine titled “Home Office Computing.” It was an informative monthly that really provided excellent advice for those people trying to start and run a business from an empty bedroom. Scholastic, Inc. was the publisher. For reasons not divulged to its readers the magazine was sold to another publisher. Almost immediately thereafter the magazine was discontinued. That was 2001.
Newsweek changed its format this past year. Rather than news, the magazine has become an outlet for essays and columns. No reason for the change was ever published in the magazine. Interesting idea but how many readers have been lost during this past year?
BusinessWeek has been sold by McGraw-Hill to Bloomberg. Ownership was transferred on December 1, 2009. The result so far has been the loss of at least three outstanding writers: Jon Fine, Maria Bartiromo, and Steve Wildstrom.
The Los Angeles Times has lost most of its great writers and reporters. Those remaining are probably looking over theirs shoulders. This was newspaper that earned 39 Pulitzer Prizes since 1942.
Other national newspapers and magazines are struggling to survive. Many have already folded.
Significant lost advertising revenue is the reason for these changes. The internet is to blame as well as the overall economy.
It’s a sad ending for one of America’s most vital segments. The free press will no longer be free and now will be controlled by very large media companies. That translates to a controlled press.
Coast Contact 