OT: Village Voice closes.

[eebmg]

Sad quiet end.

The Village Voice, a New York Icon, Closes

 

[tomcat]

Another sad day for a profession that almost does not exist any more. I was a part of it in the 70s and 80s, when it was nothing like this and the word Craigslist was unknown. The folks who owned newspapers then were competent by the standards of the 60s and 70s, but had no idea how to deal with the 90s and beyond. It's easy to say in hindsight, but what the profession needed to do back then was hire some futurists and develop some plans.

Now we're being reduced to a few good newspapers with national scope, a few good regional ones whose rich owners can bankroll them, and a bunch of understaffed advertising vehicles. I despair for the local communities whose newspapers held officials accountable to the people. Without regular newspaper coverage, many local agencies, boards with taxing authority and other governmental units will descend into levels of corruption, incompetence and/or neglect that we've not seen before.

 

[JordyG]

The last 15 years it was nothing but a tax write off anyway. It shows more than the sad end of print media though. It also shows the decline in the public's attention spans, our inability to focus, our need for quick/now information, the increase in people scanning information, and the concurrent decrease in the ability for people to show critical thinking.

 

[Bezzz]

I lived in NYC from '76 to '86. The VV was a must, and it was free! It was the best way to know who was playing CBGB's that week...including the S*ck ducks.
Not sure this will get by the censors.

Edit: Nope.

 

[Bama fan]

It is sad to see once important publications fade aw ay. Many years ago The East Village Other tried to grab some readers with a bold ad campaign. There was a photo of a pair of cupped hands, holding what appeared to be excrement. The caption read :"Tired of the same old ? Read the East Village Other". Great shock value appeal to us college kids. they only lasted a few years, but they were daring.

Note to all: they put a word there,and it may be redacted by the mods. but you get the picture.

 

[jimazee]

Uh...WOW!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

What a sad goodbye to a great publication. When they went to an online-only version, I knew the end was near.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Another sad day for a profession that almost does not exist any more. I was a part of it in the 70s and 80s, when it was nothing like this and the word Craigslist was unknown. The folks who owned newspapers then were competent by the standards of the 60s and 70s, but had no idea how to deal with the 90s and beyond. It's easy to say in hindsight, but what the profession needed to do back then was hire some futurists and develop some plans.

Now we're being reduced to a few good newspapers with national scope, a few good regional ones whose rich owners can bankroll them, and a bunch of understaffed advertising vehicles. I despair for the local communities whose newspapers held officials accountable to the people. Without regular newspaper coverage, many local agencies, boards with taxing authority and other governmental units will descend into levels of corruption, incompetence and/or neglect that we've not seen before.

Following up on your comment - I get a weekly news summary magazine called "The Week", which in large part is compilations of news reports and opinions from a variety of publications. I just received the current issue with a note on the front page that one of the articles is about the demise of the print media. Guessing the Village Voice ending prompted the content - I haven't gotten to it yet.

I DO read my local paper almost every day I am home, yet I am guilty of skimming some of the articles, because they are national news I already saw on-line. Or even, outdated already. But I do treasure having it to look at, basically, I eat my lunch while I am reading the paper.

 

[Bama fan]

Following up on your comment - I get a weekly news summary magazine called "The Week", which in large part is compilations of news reports and opinions from a variety of publications. I just received the current issue with a note on the front page that one of the articles is about the demise of the print media. Guessing the Village Voice ending prompted the content - I haven't gotten to it yet.

I DO read my local paper almost every day I am home, yet I am guilty of skimming some of the articles, because they are national news I already saw on-line. Or even, outdated already. But I do treasure having it to look at, basically, I eat my lunch while I am reading the paper.

I always enjoyed reading the paper, and when I was young we got a morning and an evening paper. Now there is no print edition of a local paper where we currently live. I get several online papers each day, and they are fine. but I do miss the printed version.