Posted 9:02 AM by Gene

Col.'s LALA outpost just laid off 250, meaning we'll see more crock like this. What is happening to the news biz is the wrong thing for the right reason. It's the wrong thing because with less talent means fewer stories; with the cuts in the newshole means shorter stories; with these self-inflicted wounds means fewer resources to go after the stories that must be reported. But it's the right reason because for decades news hacks have spit at the public, insisting their bias was objectivity, and their publicity-mania was in the public interest, and their empire building was for the glory of God. For these righteous behaviors and more the press deserves its problems. We do not delude ourselves, however, that public revulsion necessarily inspired the problems, nor that the business will get a further comeuppance from the vast quality dilution which is already following.