Is it coincidence that Obama didn't call on any of reporters for major newspapers last night? Or a recognition that they should be allowed to expire in peace?
One Congressman seems willing to see if there are any takers for "saving" newspapers from their own idiocy:
With many U.S. newspapers struggling to survive, a Democratic senator on Tuesday introduced a bill to help them by allowing newspaper companies to restructure as nonprofits with a variety of tax breaks.
"This may not be the optimal choice for some major newspapers or corporate media chains but it should be an option for many newspapers that are struggling to stay afloat," said Senator Benjamin Cardin.
A Cardin spokesman said the bill had yet to attract any co-sponsors, but had sparked plenty of interest within the media, which has seen plunging revenues and many journalist layoffs.
Cardin's Newspaper Revitalization Act would allow newspapers to operate as nonprofits for educational purposes under the U.S. tax code, giving them a similar status to public broadcasting companies.
Under this arrangement, newspapers would still be free to report on all issues, including political campaigns. But they would be prohibited from making political endorsements.
Alright, stop your laughing and get up off the floor. I know the idea that newspapers wouldn't "endorse" a liberal Democrat by giving him glowing, favorable coverage is ludicrous. And turning newspapers into entities that would ape public broadcasting would make them even more boring.
But its all to save jobs, right? It would be difficult for liberals to dominate the media unless the reporters and editors who make that possible were unemployed.
So lets get behind this proposal and protect the good old American institution of the daily newspaper. After all, a "free" press is vital to our nation's survival.
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