SF 480 Bill…the end of small town newspapers?

[jellyfish10]

@cigaretteman and/or @torbee have either one of you heard about this? Apparently this bill was introduced so that government minutes would no longer be published in small town papers, but on a government run website. According to a friend that works for a small town paper, government minutes are the largest source of revenue for her paper. The loss of revenue would essentially shut down the paper and others like it. Admittedly I’m not well versed on the subject, but could anyone shed any light on this? What exactly is the impetus for such a bill?

 

[Pinehawk]

To save government money and modernize I’d imagine. That same large revenue for the newspaper is a corresponding large expense for government agencies.
And, no one reads those minutes in their size 6 font in these newspapers anyway.

 

[cigaretteman]

@cigaretteman and/or @torbee have either one of you heard about this? Apparently this bill was introduced so that government minutes would no longer be published in small town papers, but on a government run website. According to a friend that works for a small town paper, government minutes are the largest source of revenue for her paper. The loss of revenue would essentially shut down the paper and others like it. Admittedly I’m not well versed on the subject, but could anyone shed any light on this? What exactly is the impetus for such a bill?

To save local governments money, I would guess, and yes, it could well doom small town newspapers.

 

[HawkeyeHitman]

Newspapers wouldn’t have this problem if they wouldn’t spread progressive propaganda.

 

[jellyfish10]

To save government money and modernize I’d imagine. That same large revenue for the newspaper is a corresponding large expense for government agencies.
And, no one reads those minutes in their size 6 font in these newspapers anyway.

Yeah I understand the cost saving aspect, but if it will actually spell the end of small town papers, that’s pretty shitty.

And old people actually do read them. Why I have no clue, but they do.

 

[jellyfish10]

Newspapers wouldn’t have this problem if they wouldn’t spread progressive propaganda.

Derpity derp derp derp. The majority of small town papers in this state are located in MAGA territory. I’m not making this political, I just don’t understand why shutting down small town papers is a good thing.

 

[Pinehawk]

I’m a small newspaper supporter. But, if their business model is to exist based on government mandated spending to physically print minutes, which is not efficient or cost effective for those agencies, then they did not position themselves well to survive.

 

[jellyfish10]

I’m a small newspaper supporter. But, if their business model is to exist based on government mandated spending to physically print minutes, which is not efficient or cost effective for those agencies, then they did not position themselves well to survive.

I can’t disagree with that. Apparently the bill was recently proposed and has been pushed through quite rapidly which is a big part of the issue. Again this is according to my friend.

 

[SoDakHawk]

Newspapers wouldn’t have this problem if they wouldn’t spread progressive propaganda.

This post is BS. Our local paper is not progressive. It reports the local news once a week. It is also the paper of record and all public notices are posted in it. Yes, the notices are read by the locals. This bill would kill our local paper.

My concern is that if these public records go internet only will the history of them disappear? Digitized zeros and ones cannot be uncovered hundreds of years later like the Dead Sea Scrolls. Putting something physically in print is preserving the record.

 

[HawkeyeHitman]

Local newspapers help public schools. That is terrible for society. It doesn’t matter where the newspaper is politically located.

 

[torbee]

@cigaretteman and/or @torbee have either one of you heard about this? Apparently this bill was introduced so that government minutes would no longer be published in small town papers, but on a government run website. According to a friend that works for a small town paper, government minutes are the largest source of revenue for her paper. The loss of revenue would essentially shut down the paper and others like it. Admittedly I’m not well versed on the subject, but could anyone shed any light on this? What exactly is the impetus for such a bill?

The blame should go to newspaper chains like Gannett and Lee, not the government on this one.

Lee and Gannett gobbled up a bunch of those weeklies, turned them into glorified shoppers with zero local news in them, then let a ton of them die on the vine.

This has forced local governments to go farther afield and pay higher advertising costs to meet their legally required notification standards.

 

[Pinehawk]

Digital versions could last far longer than boxes of yellowing, fading, old newspapers.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Yeah I understand the cost saving aspect, but if it will actually spell the end of small town papers, that’s pretty shitty.

And old people actually do read them. Why I have no clue, but they do.

Because they are the only place you can read about the local high school's sports or drama club or music performances.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Progress folks...commerce....crush the week and infirmed under the wheels of progress

`merica!

 

[BelemNole]

Local newspapers help public schools. That is terrible for society. It doesn’t matter where the newspaper is politically located.

Ok, whose stupid alt account is this?
I understand that MAGAts are fun to ridicule but you have to at least make it appear as if you can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Unless you're making fun of gonegolfing - I still can't tell which insane takes are really his or the parody account.

 

[jellyfish10]

Local newspapers help public schools. That is terrible for society. It doesn’t matter where the newspaper is politically located.

This is so awesomely stupid I can hardly take it.

 

[jellyfish10]

Because they are the only place you can read about the local high school's sports or drama club or music performances.

Hence the value of small town papers, or at least the one I am referring to.

 

[torbee]

Ok, whose stupid alt account is this?
I understand that MAGAts are fun to ridicule but you have to at least make it appear as if you can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Unless you're making fun of gonegolfing - I still can't tell which insane takes are really his or the parody account.

Just NC BAU.

You can always identify an NC alt by paying attention to how much shit he's eating in a given thread. You can identify an NC post when you apply the SE(x)ISS algorithm (shit eating times idiotic statements said). Anything above 5 and you know the "new" poster with a stupid handle is another iteration of the village idiot NC.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Just NC BAU.

You can always identify an NC alt by paying attention to how much shit he's eating in a given thread. You can identify an NC post when you apply the SE(x)ISS algorithm (shit eating times idiotic statements said). Anything above 5 and you know the "new" poster with a stupid handle is another iteration of the village idiot NC.

IDK, the poster has a join date of 2002. That would be quite the strategic deployment by NC.

I reckon the poster is either genuine and exceedingly "simple" or someone having fun doing a conservative parody but taking the stupidity a bit too far beyond what seems realistic.

 

[jellyfish10]

Just NC BAU.

You can always identify an NC alt by paying attention to how much shit he's eating in a given thread. You can identify an NC post when you apply the SE(x)ISS algorithm (shit eating times idiotic statements said). Anything above 5 and you know the "new" poster with a stupid handle is another iteration of the village idiot NC.

If true that’s fvcking pathetic.

 

[BrunoMars420]

Honestly you get more I for in regards to school news and such from their Facebook pages now a days. Also I doubt many younger folks will be reading government minutes in news papers. Waterloo for example posts the meetings on YouTube and their website.

 

[HawkeyeHitman]

Just NC BAU.

You can always identify an NC alt by paying attention to how much shit he's eating in a given thread. You can identify an NC post when you apply the SE(x)ISS algorithm (shit eating times idiotic statements said). Anything above 5 and you know the "new" poster with a stupid handle is another iteration of the village idiot NC.

Who is this NC you speak of? If you have a problem with this person you need to talk to him and work your differences out. I’m not him.

 

[stout1]

My concern is that if these public records go internet only will the history of them disappear?

Meeting minutes of an elected body is required to be archived by the elected body in perpetuity, at least in Indiana. So they still exist, just not in the newspaper archive.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

The government utilizing technology to save money should be a good thing.

Paying small newspapers just to keep them in business would be like giving farmers money to not grow crops.

Oh, wait ....

 

[jellyfish10]

Honestly you get more I for in regards to school news and such from their Facebook pages now a days. Also I doubt many younger folks will be reading government minutes in news papers. Waterloo for example posts the meetings on YouTube and their website.

Most towns operate differently though. Older populations that live differently. Papers are a staple in many small towns.

 

[Pinehawk]

Instead of this forced financial support by governments to newspapers, through the required printing of minutes, I’d actually prefer the government just provide general financial support. In the form of a grant or other instrument, in an effort to maintain multiple forms of emergency communication if needed. As well as supporting local information and news sharing.
That funding could be optional to accept, and have limited strings attached.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

Who is this NC you speak of? If you have a problem with this person you need to talk to him and work your differences out. I’m not him.

Well, that may be, but you SUCK like him/her, so really there's no difference NC/HH.

 

[Hawkman98]

Yeah I understand the cost saving aspect, but if it will actually spell the end of small town papers, that’s pretty shitty.

And old people actually do read them. Why I have no clue, but they do.

I guess I'm old. I subscribe and support our small town paper.

 

[RileyHawk]

This is a classic free market issue. Those that want to have a classic newspaper can certainly have it if they are willing to pay enough for it. But they won't and then complain that the newspapers are going away.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Newspapers wouldn’t have this problem if they wouldn’t spread progressive propaganda.

 

[Pinehawk]

This is a classic free market issue. Those that want to have a classic newspaper can certainly have it if they are willing to pay enough for it. But they won't and then complain that the newspapers are going away.

It is absolutely not a free market issue, because as explained, these small newspapers are being kept in business in part by forced government spending on publishing meeting minutes.
If that goes away, we’ll see what the free market does.

 

[RileyHawk]

It is absolutely not a free market issue, because as explained, these small newspapers are being kept in business in part by forced government spending on publishing meeting minutes.
If that goes away, we’ll see what the free market does.

Sigh. It absolutely is and is the reason so many newspapers have gone out of business. That a few are hanging on and could succumb if they lose revenue from the government doesn't change that. The free market doesn't value traditional newspapers - if it did, customers would be willing to pay more. And the government (which is also a customer) would still want to use it to get information out.

You're really dumb on a lot of subjects.

 

[Pinehawk]

There is nothing ‘free’ about requiring the government to use an outdated communication method because otherwise a private company would otherwise fail.
It couldn’t be more clear, and you are an idiot for thinking there is anything’ free market’ about this arrangement.

 

[RileyHawk]

There is nothing ‘free’ about requiring the government to use an outdated communication method because otherwise a private company would otherwise fail.
It couldn’t be more clear, and you are an idiot for thinking there is anything’ free market’ about this arrangement.

JFC - the government is not required to use newspapers - they are required to communicate. They have chosen for years to use newspapers and are now choosing not to. The demise of newspapers is because they have lost value in the free market and because they have lost value they are no longer a good communication vehicle for the government.

There are few on here who demonstrate more ignorance on so many subjects as you do.

 

[Pinehawk]

You are wrong. The government is required to use newspapers to share minutes and meeting notices. That is the exact point of this thread.
You are an idiot.

 

[Pinehawk]

JFC - the government is not required to use newspapers - they are required to communicate. They have chosen for years to use newspapers and are now choosing not to. The demise of newspapers is because they have lost value in the free market and because they have lost value they are no longer a good communication vehicle for the government.

There are few on here who demonstrate more ignorance on so many subjects as you do.

Locking this one in…

 

[Pinehawk]

It’s rare to see such arrogance and ignorance combined in one person.
But @RileyHawk manages it somehow.

“A bill approved Wednesday by an Iowa Senate committee would create a new state website to publish public notices and eliminate a long-standing requirement for cities, schools and other entities to publish the notices in newspapers.”

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/202...nate-public-notice-requirement-in-newspapers/

 

[RileyHawk]

You are wrong. The government is required to use newspapers to share minutes and meeting notices. That is the exact point of this thread.
You are an idiot.

There is NOTHING preventing the government from passing provisions to move to other forms of communication. Just because this is what is written today doesn't mean it always will be. And newspapers are going under because they have little value to their customers, including the government.

If the government is, and always will be, required to post in a newspaper how is the move away from it even being considered?

Your ignorance is unwavering.

 

[RileyHawk]

It’s rare to see such arrogance and ignorance combined in one person.
But @RileyHawk manages it somehow.

“A bill approved Wednesday by an Iowa Senate committee would create a new state website to publish public notices and eliminate a long-standing requirement for cities, schools and other entities to publish the notices in newspapers.”

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/202...nate-public-notice-requirement-in-newspapers/

The operative word is "remove". This is how things change in the government. SMFH.

 

[Pinehawk]

You doubled down on being stupid. I am not surprised.