Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Local Newspapers - Non Profits?

Senator Cardin (D-MD) today proposed a bill to grant newspapers tax-exempt status as nonprofit organizations:


Struggling newspapers should be allowed to operate as nonprofits similar to public broadcasting stations, Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., proposed Tuesday.

Cardin introduced a bill that would allow newspapers to choose tax-exempt status. They would no longer be able to make political endorsements, but could report on all issues, including political campaigns.

Advertising and subscription revenue would be tax-exempt, and contributions to support coverage could be tax deductible.

Cardin said in a statement that the bill is aimed at preserving local newspapers, not large newspaper conglomerates.



Well, as Nelson from the Simpsons said:

16 comments:

  1. Say it wasn't so...

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  2. Got to get that liberal crap out there somehow.

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  3. this is an awesome idea to try and preserve newspapers, at least as much to prevent them from going completely extinct. the problem is that this wouldn't offer much of a solution to those (such as myself) trying to make a living as a journalist. it would be tight to keep newspapers afloat that have particularly rich traditions, but it be mainly for nostalgia more than anything

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  4. Having worked for a couple of tremendously efficient and effective non-profits, I'd say that this could be an improvement on the current situation. But only if they were well managed, which is not really the zeitgeist of America's newspapers.

    For one thing, non-profits are pretty good at providing people with decent livings without indulging in the excessive salaries of corporate America. And since people don't go into print journalism solely to make tons of money – they go into it wanting to make a decent living by writing about the world every day – capitalist-style economic incentives aren't as much of an important factor. (Or at least, shouldn't be, as I'll talk about in a second.)

    Remember, too, that non-profits still have the responsibility to stay afloat and improve their economic footing (it just doesn't go to profits). The status would allow tax-deductible donations, which could be a helpful additional source of funding: just speaking for myself, I'd love to pay for the NYT but I also don't want to get a print edition delivered to my apartment that I'd never read cause it's all online.

    Most importantly, though, a well-managed non-profit can get some pretty tremendous bang for its buck, as it is freed from the constraint of the lower average intelligence of the market. Newspapers have pretty clearly been harmed by the pursuit of profits and prizes over the last few decades, going after the bullshitty heartwearming or tearjerking cat-in-the-tree stories instead of real news. I think everyone's pissed off about that, liberal and conservative.

    Still, the lack of immediate financial accountability can cause inefficiencies, so shittily managed non-profits can be more wasteful and ineffectual than shittily managed for-profits (which just go under).

    All in all, non-profit status would probably be an improvement on the current (failing) situation. But I worry about the current generation of newspaper management's ability to handle it.

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  5. I agree with everything you said, 6.54. I guess my point was that I couldn't envision newspapers becoming non-profit endeavors in a widespread manner. if you look at public television and NPR, those are great news sources that abide by true journalistic standards. I'm just assuming that this model would be implemented for select papers, and not for the vast majority of them.

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  6. Shit Jonesy,

    I was really getting worried about you. I was picturing you in a pool of your own puke.

    And, here you are just over here in another garbage pile.

    Come on. A lot of us are waiting for your DOOM post.

    6.54-They are failing because no one wants to read their crap. Get a clue you pompous idiot.

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  7. Jonesy – yeah, I hear you. I dunno if the news industry'll ever really stop being an industry. And you're prolly particularly right about sports journalism.



    6.54-They are failing because no one wants to read their crap. Get a clue you pompous idiot.


    I believe that was, if you had actually read what I wrote, precisely what I said.

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  8. Who the fuck cares what you said. It's the way you fucking say it.

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  9. Yeah, man, you're really putting forth some stunning literary prowess.

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  10. "While this might turn highways in many southern states into dangerous warzones, Obama has rightfully noted that the results will be “fucking sweet."

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  11. 6.54 says:

    Yeah, man, you're really putting forth some stunning literary prowess.

    Just trying to fit in with the rest of the crap on this piece of shit site.

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  12. 6.54 said...
    Yeah, man, you're really putting forth some stunning literary prowess.

    "In conclusion: fuck you, John Yoo. Fuck. You."

    "I'm really partial to separating the words in "fuck head."


    For some reason, I get the feeling that you have a big part in one of those crappy newsrags going under.

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  13. And, with an IQ in the 6.54 range I would expected so much more from you.

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  14. AHAHAHAHAHA

    DON'T YOU LOVE HOW GOOGLE PAYS YOU PER SITE VISIT/COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    TAKE THAT "GRAIN OF POT!!"

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  15. And they deserve every penny they get. The comedy provided is priceless. Just have to get past the pompous attitudes. But eventually you'll find they're just a bunch of "useful idiots".

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  16. "We have no agenda! We have literally nothing that we want to accomplish, no goals or ideals or thoughts! We don't even know what we're doing, or why! Who are we? Who am I?! God help me please."

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