Got the word today. 44 job losses, the Eccentric Newspapers shutting down.
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Got the word today. 44 job losses, the Eccentric Newspapers shutting down.
Beyond the regrettable impact on employees, the Metro Detroit info void widens in far-reaching ways.
Except for the largest suburbs such as Southfield, Livonia and a few others, there now will be no widely available source of news voters need about who runs for suburban mayor, supervisor, council or school board -- and what they do in office. The shrinking O&E papers were already thin shells, but still filled that role somewhat.
Sure, League of Women Voters candidate guides are available at libraries . . . but that's a far stretch from doorstep delivery.
And how many onetime varsity athletes still have yellowing clips from a community paper? That kind of stuff is tiny and huge at the same time.Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till its gone-- Joni Mitchell, 1970
For the record, I meant 44 production people. I don't know about the editorial staff, we'll find out later today.
not a real loss. these papers did at best an adequate job of relaying local news. the thing they were horrible at [[and it's the thing that would have kept them alive) was to connect readers with their communities.
there is still a market for local papers that can connect citizens with their community. better options will emerge.