Press Release
Presidential Leadership Needed to Save the News
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- In a meeting with newspaper editors on Friday, President Barack Obama expressed his willingness to look at policies and proposals that could help support quality journalism at a moment when traditional outlets -- especially newspapers -- are struggling.
"Journalistic integrity, you know, fact-based reporting, serious investigative reporting, how to retain those ethics in all these different new media and how to make sure that it's paid for, is really a challenge," President Obama told editors from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Toledo Blade. "But it's something that I think is absolutely critical to the health of our democracy."
Craig Aaron, senior program director of Free Press, made the following statement:
"President Obama’s leadership is needed to put the future of journalism on the national agenda. Now is not the time for bailouts, but it is a moment for forward-looking policies that will support local and diverse media ownership, encourage experiments and innovations, and invest in a world-class public media system. Our concern should not be for newspapers -- or not just newspapers -- but rather for newsrooms and keeping reporters on the beat.
"The struggles facing journalism are a national issue, and we need a national strategy to meet these challenges and to sustain true public service journalism. While we explore new business models for journalism, we must also examine what role government can play in supporting this indispensable institution. There is no silver bullet, but policy decisions -- and the political will to make the right ones -- will shape journalism’s future.
"We look forward to working with President Obama, Congress, journalists and -- most importantly -- the public to ensure our communities can get the news they need."
"Journalistic integrity, you know, fact-based reporting, serious investigative reporting, how to retain those ethics in all these different new media and how to make sure that it's paid for, is really a challenge," President Obama told editors from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Toledo Blade. "But it's something that I think is absolutely critical to the health of our democracy."
Craig Aaron, senior program director of Free Press, made the following statement:
"President Obama’s leadership is needed to put the future of journalism on the national agenda. Now is not the time for bailouts, but it is a moment for forward-looking policies that will support local and diverse media ownership, encourage experiments and innovations, and invest in a world-class public media system. Our concern should not be for newspapers -- or not just newspapers -- but rather for newsrooms and keeping reporters on the beat.
"The struggles facing journalism are a national issue, and we need a national strategy to meet these challenges and to sustain true public service journalism. While we explore new business models for journalism, we must also examine what role government can play in supporting this indispensable institution. There is no silver bullet, but policy decisions -- and the political will to make the right ones -- will shape journalism’s future.
"We look forward to working with President Obama, Congress, journalists and -- most importantly -- the public to ensure our communities can get the news they need."
