The people and news

[Maurreen Skowran]

Tish said earlier:
"And why do so many in the journalism field believe it's up to 'the
people' to save newspapers--usually by doing the work of journalists
for free?"

I don't think many of us do believe that. I believe very few rank-and-
file journalists (which is most of us) envision this whatsoever. I see
no evidence otherwise.

I think most in journalism are probably not looking to "the people" to
save us at all. I believe very few expect or want them to do our work.
We want to do our work. Ask any of the thousands who lost their job.

For some of us, we want the people to be more involved in various ways
-- whether that means saving newspapers or helping something else that
does and possibly improves the good that newspapers and journalism
do.

But as far as how we might want or expect "the people" to help in
that, that is more likely to mean doing so through general use,
engagement, and especially money, than through them doing our work.

It doesn't happen by magic. There is no free lunch.