Comments on: What We’re Losing http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html Redfin Corporate Blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:09:04 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: A Predator in Our Garden | Redfin Corporate Blog http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html/comment-page-1#comment-5156 A Predator in Our Garden | Redfin Corporate Blog Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:13:46 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html#comment-5156 [...] good idea can approach them about it. Newsrooms are fortresses for a reason — and newspapers, however much I may love them, reflect that [...] [...] good idea can approach them about it. Newsrooms are fortresses for a reason — and newspapers, however much I may love them, reflect that [...]

]]> By: Glenn Kelman http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html/comment-page-1#comment-5084 Glenn Kelman Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:13:44 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html#comment-5084 Nils, that's a good idea for a business; investigative reporting focused on business news. And I agree Jen that newspapers are in a downward but hopefully not permanent spiral. It's hard to be better than bloggers when you're challenged to have a cost structure similar to bloggers... Nils, that’s a good idea for a business; investigative reporting focused on business news.

And I agree Jen that newspapers are in a downward but hopefully not permanent spiral.

It’s hard to be better than bloggers when you’re challenged to have a cost structure similar to bloggers…

]]> By: Jen http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html/comment-page-1#comment-5082 Jen Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:41:31 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html#comment-5082 I agree with you about editing and copyediting - until I look over some recent articles in the P-I. I think they must have laid off their copyeditors early to cut costs. Additionally, in the past couple years, I've seen a lot more investigative reporting from blogs than from major newspapers. I agree with you about editing and copyediting – until I look over some recent articles in the P-I. I think they must have laid off their copyeditors early to cut costs.

Additionally, in the past couple years, I’ve seen a lot more investigative reporting from blogs than from major newspapers.

]]> By: Nils http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html/comment-page-1#comment-5079 Nils Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:06:21 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html#comment-5079 I don't cry for the collapse of newspapers generally; rather, I rue the prospective loss of one specific feature of traditional newspapers, namely investigative journalism in political and business affairs. It's not clear whether that feature -- which you rightly point out is a cornerstone of democracy, since it is the mechanism by which transparency and thus potential accountability happens -- can be crowd-sourced. If not, it may require some kind of philanthropic funding (which is what the Sulzbergers are in effect doing anyway at the NYT). In the case of creating business transparency, it seems plausible that there may be a profitable business to be had in uncovering corrupt companies. Being on the right side of figuring out the Enron or Worldcom frauds would have been pretty damn lucrative. I don’t cry for the collapse of newspapers generally; rather, I rue the prospective loss of one specific feature of traditional newspapers, namely investigative journalism in political and business affairs. It’s not clear whether that feature — which you rightly point out is a cornerstone of democracy, since it is the mechanism by which transparency and thus potential accountability happens — can be crowd-sourced. If not, it may require some kind of philanthropic funding (which is what the Sulzbergers are in effect doing anyway at the NYT).

In the case of creating business transparency, it seems plausible that there may be a profitable business to be had in uncovering corrupt companies. Being on the right side of figuring out the Enron or Worldcom frauds would have been pretty damn lucrative.

]]> By: Austin Smith http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html/comment-page-1#comment-5075 Austin Smith Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:12:58 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2009/01/what_were_losing.html#comment-5075 Great post. Some of what you say reminds me why I'm in school for journalism, "to stand up for the truth — as best as it can be made out — against government and business interests that want to spin the truth". Thank you for the reminder. Great post. Some of what you say reminds me why I’m in school for journalism, “to stand up for the truth — as best as it can be made out — against government and business interests that want to spin the truth”.
Thank you for the reminder.

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