The Answer Is No.
By Ken Bank
April 28, 2024
Source: Medium
Gannett Newspapers Severs Its Relationship With Associated Press To Please Its Shareholders
Gannett Newspapers Severs Its Relationship With Associated Press To Please Its Shareholders
Credit: PeoplesWorld.org
Gannett Newspapers is the largest publisher of newspapers in the United States with millions of readers and subscribers in all parts of the country. It is also an investor-owned company that in recent years has prioritized profitability against the interests of its employees, readers and communities that they claim to serve.
In the most recent example of sacrificing quality journalism on the altar of maximizing profits, the Gannett Newspapers recently announced that they were severing their decades long relationship with the Associated Press, a not-for-profit news cooperative that has been serving news agencies in countries all over the world for nearly two centuries.
To compensate for the loss of comprehensive national and international news coverage, Gannett declared that it will “redeploy” assets in favor of its affiliated USA Today news network. Veteran reporters and analysts who write about issues affecting New Jersey’s news and information networks are skeptical that money saved by not using the AP will be used to further or enhance journalism.
Given Gannett’s poor track record in recent years of layoffs, firings and other cutbacks to services it is not likely that any savings will be used to continue providing the same level of coverage and information to Gannett readers. Whatever excess funds Gannett manages to accumulate by not using the AP will undoubtedly find its way into the dividends paid out to Gannett’s capitalist shareholders.
Even if Gannett was sincere about investing more capital in its own newsroom, the loss of news coverage from national and international sources of information provided by the AP would be devastating to those readers of Gannett newspapers who depend on articles published by AP members for accurate and relevant information about what is going on around the world.
In New Jersey alone Gannett owns nine newspapers with a combined circulation greater than that of all the other newspapers. Despite that, the company has spent little to replenish its already depleted staff who either retired or were laid off to maximize profitability. Given its poor track record of using profits to maintain and adequately compensate reporters and support staff, it is highly unlikely that Gannett will “redeploy” additional assets to provide adequate coverage of national and world events.
Over the years Gannett and other mass media for-profit corporations have been cutting staff including reporters, writers and editors in order to maximize profits and satisfy investor capitalists. It is a safe bet this trend will continue, and Gannett ending its relationship with AP will accelerate that trend.
As a not-for-profit news cooperative, the AP is free to use its journalistic resources to pursue stories of interest and relevance to readers all over the world, not just in the US. This means that the AP is dedicated to distributing information and analysis to its readers regardless of cost, instead of cutting costs to increase profits and put more money into the brokerage accounts of its capitalist shareholders.
With Gannett severing its relationship with the AP, this continues a trend at Gennett and other corporate news media to cut staff, reporters, editors and administrative support workers in favor of maximizing profitability. The result of fewer reporters means that there is significantly less coverage of news, especially at the local and community information outlets. What news there is to report focuses on those stories of most interest to readers and advertisers, especially readers who are wealthier and more likely to purchase advertiser goods and services.
Readers from disadvantaged backgrounds, low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, are less likely to be adequately served by corporate media giants like Gannett that are mostly interested in serving wealthier demographics. Readers buy advertising, and wealthier readers (predominantly white) buy lucrative advertising and more expensive (profitable) goods and services.
The result of class discrimination means that the needs of poor, disadvantaged and racial minorities are neglected in favor of addressing the desires of wealthier readers. This means that cutbacks and layoffs of reporters, editors and support staff are more likely to negatively impact minority reporters and support staff who regularly report on the needs of disadvantaged communities and people of color.
Reporters, writers and support staff at the largest corporate newspapers are not going away quietly without a fight. The last several years have seen a sudden increase in union organizing at the largest newspaper chains as journalists, to protect their jobs and professional integrity, are joining the News Guild unions to demand more effective collective bargaining opportunities, not only to protect their jobs but their professional integrity as well.
As the downsizing of corporate journalism continues to accelerate, journalists and related workers are exploring other options to pursue their profession without becoming answerable to investor capitalists and corporate executives.
In New Jersey Gannett Corporation has taken over most newspapers, closing some and cutting staff at others. The result was a serious decline in original news coverage, especially local and regional news as well as coverage of issues relevant to lower-income communities and disadvantaged minority groups.
With hundreds of reporters, writers, editors and support staff losing their jobs, combined with the need to maintain adequate coverage of relevant news to local communities, there is an opportunity to organize community resources and establish people-owned and people-managed news media.
One indicator of progress in providing news reporting and relevant information about local issues that is not controlled by big corporations is the recent acquisition by the newly formed, non-profit Corporation for New Jersey Local Media of 14 reputable weekly newspapers owned by the New Jersey Hills Media Group. With nearly 100,000 subscribers, they are the largest weekly newspaper group in New Jersey.
The plan of the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media is to transition their newspapers to non-profit status. When completed, the New Jersey Media Group will become the largest weekly newspaper group in the country owned and operated by a non-profit corporation.
In other parts of the US community and activist organizations are leading the fight against corporate journalism in favor of a new model for disseminating news especially relevant to local communities. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) has been a leader in supporting independent, nonprofit news organizations as an alternative to the abuses and exploitation of vulture capitalism in journalism.
The INN has been coordinating independent, nonprofit news organizations in every state with research and investment opportunities that focus on the most viable means of disseminating relevant news and information to local communities. Until recently independent media has been overly concerned with brand recognition and featured stories that emphasized political and economic consequences of corporate media.
A new approach would emphasize useful news that supports greater awareness among readers of community resources and information that has a direct impact on their daily activities and knowledge. This is especially important to marginalized communities and groups whose concerns have been neglected by corporate media.
Low-income and minority readers are especially vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation from investor capitalism. There just isn’t enough profitability and revenue to be derived from advertising and appealing to the needs of low-income minority groups as opposed to wealthier demographics.
According to recent research studies advocates and supporters of independent, nonprofit local news will gain more influence by focusing their attention on local and state governments for support as opposed to obtaining subsidies and other means from the federal government.
The recent decline in availability of objective local news coverage can be compensated for by working with local and state officials who are more receptive to local media coverage of their activities and policies. Local journalists also have to do a better job at working with disadvantaged communities and minority groups to assess what kind of news coverage is relevant to their daily needs and interests.
Providing important information to readers about economic affairs and political involvement as well as educational and vocational opportunities available to residents of marginalized communities is essential to establish credibility and support for independent journalism which is accountable to community members rather than investor shareholders.
New Jersey is among those states where independent journalists, many of them formerly employed by corporate media who lost their jobs for the sake of increasing profits for capitalist investors like Gannett Newspapers, have joined together to collaborate and cooperate with each other for establishing independent, community-oriented and not-for-profit news services.
Leading and coordinating the movement in New Jersey for independent journalism and local news reporting is the Center for Cooperative Media, a unit within the School of Communication and Media for Montclair State University. The Center was founded in 2012 in response to the downsizing of New Jersey news organizations and the changes in the ownership of regional public media. These shifts in the news and information landscape hurt the volume of local news available especially in poor, disadvantaged and minority communities.
The Center coordinates statewide and regional reporting, connecting smaller, local and independent news providers with each other through its sponsorship and funding of the New Jersey News Commons. The Commons helps partners to share content and encourages them to collaborate and support one another. The Center also conducts and publishes research on emerging ideas and best practices, focusing on local journalism and business models.
New Jersey and several other states as well as municipalities have already demonstrated that there are opportunities and support for local, independent journalism that puts the interests of people and communities ahead of increasing profits for corporate media giants like Gannett Newspapers which only serve to fatten the bank accounts of investor capitalists.
Gannett Newspapers is the largest publisher of newspapers in the United States with millions of readers and subscribers in all parts of the country. It is also an investor-owned company that in recent years has prioritized profitability against the interests of its employees, readers and communities that they claim to serve.
In the most recent example of sacrificing quality journalism on the altar of maximizing profits, the Gannett Newspapers recently announced that they were severing their decades long relationship with the Associated Press, a not-for-profit news cooperative that has been serving news agencies in countries all over the world for nearly two centuries.
To compensate for the loss of comprehensive national and international news coverage, Gannett declared that it will “redeploy” assets in favor of its affiliated USA Today news network. Veteran reporters and analysts who write about issues affecting New Jersey’s news and information networks are skeptical that money saved by not using the AP will be used to further or enhance journalism.
Given Gannett’s poor track record in recent years of layoffs, firings and other cutbacks to services it is not likely that any savings will be used to continue providing the same level of coverage and information to Gannett readers. Whatever excess funds Gannett manages to accumulate by not using the AP will undoubtedly find its way into the dividends paid out to Gannett’s capitalist shareholders.
Even if Gannett was sincere about investing more capital in its own newsroom, the loss of news coverage from national and international sources of information provided by the AP would be devastating to those readers of Gannett newspapers who depend on articles published by AP members for accurate and relevant information about what is going on around the world.
In New Jersey alone Gannett owns nine newspapers with a combined circulation greater than that of all the other newspapers. Despite that, the company has spent little to replenish its already depleted staff who either retired or were laid off to maximize profitability. Given its poor track record of using profits to maintain and adequately compensate reporters and support staff, it is highly unlikely that Gannett will “redeploy” additional assets to provide adequate coverage of national and world events.
Over the years Gannett and other mass media for-profit corporations have been cutting staff including reporters, writers and editors in order to maximize profits and satisfy investor capitalists. It is a safe bet this trend will continue, and Gannett ending its relationship with AP will accelerate that trend.
As a not-for-profit news cooperative, the AP is free to use its journalistic resources to pursue stories of interest and relevance to readers all over the world, not just in the US. This means that the AP is dedicated to distributing information and analysis to its readers regardless of cost, instead of cutting costs to increase profits and put more money into the brokerage accounts of its capitalist shareholders.
With Gannett severing its relationship with the AP, this continues a trend at Gennett and other corporate news media to cut staff, reporters, editors and administrative support workers in favor of maximizing profitability. The result of fewer reporters means that there is significantly less coverage of news, especially at the local and community information outlets. What news there is to report focuses on those stories of most interest to readers and advertisers, especially readers who are wealthier and more likely to purchase advertiser goods and services.
Readers from disadvantaged backgrounds, low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, are less likely to be adequately served by corporate media giants like Gannett that are mostly interested in serving wealthier demographics. Readers buy advertising, and wealthier readers (predominantly white) buy lucrative advertising and more expensive (profitable) goods and services.
The result of class discrimination means that the needs of poor, disadvantaged and racial minorities are neglected in favor of addressing the desires of wealthier readers. This means that cutbacks and layoffs of reporters, editors and support staff are more likely to negatively impact minority reporters and support staff who regularly report on the needs of disadvantaged communities and people of color.
Reporters, writers and support staff at the largest corporate newspapers are not going away quietly without a fight. The last several years have seen a sudden increase in union organizing at the largest newspaper chains as journalists, to protect their jobs and professional integrity, are joining the News Guild unions to demand more effective collective bargaining opportunities, not only to protect their jobs but their professional integrity as well.
As the downsizing of corporate journalism continues to accelerate, journalists and related workers are exploring other options to pursue their profession without becoming answerable to investor capitalists and corporate executives.
In New Jersey Gannett Corporation has taken over most newspapers, closing some and cutting staff at others. The result was a serious decline in original news coverage, especially local and regional news as well as coverage of issues relevant to lower-income communities and disadvantaged minority groups.
With hundreds of reporters, writers, editors and support staff losing their jobs, combined with the need to maintain adequate coverage of relevant news to local communities, there is an opportunity to organize community resources and establish people-owned and people-managed news media.
One indicator of progress in providing news reporting and relevant information about local issues that is not controlled by big corporations is the recent acquisition by the newly formed, non-profit Corporation for New Jersey Local Media of 14 reputable weekly newspapers owned by the New Jersey Hills Media Group. With nearly 100,000 subscribers, they are the largest weekly newspaper group in New Jersey.
The plan of the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media is to transition their newspapers to non-profit status. When completed, the New Jersey Media Group will become the largest weekly newspaper group in the country owned and operated by a non-profit corporation.
In other parts of the US community and activist organizations are leading the fight against corporate journalism in favor of a new model for disseminating news especially relevant to local communities. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) has been a leader in supporting independent, nonprofit news organizations as an alternative to the abuses and exploitation of vulture capitalism in journalism.
The INN has been coordinating independent, nonprofit news organizations in every state with research and investment opportunities that focus on the most viable means of disseminating relevant news and information to local communities. Until recently independent media has been overly concerned with brand recognition and featured stories that emphasized political and economic consequences of corporate media.
A new approach would emphasize useful news that supports greater awareness among readers of community resources and information that has a direct impact on their daily activities and knowledge. This is especially important to marginalized communities and groups whose concerns have been neglected by corporate media.
Low-income and minority readers are especially vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation from investor capitalism. There just isn’t enough profitability and revenue to be derived from advertising and appealing to the needs of low-income minority groups as opposed to wealthier demographics.
According to recent research studies advocates and supporters of independent, nonprofit local news will gain more influence by focusing their attention on local and state governments for support as opposed to obtaining subsidies and other means from the federal government.
The recent decline in availability of objective local news coverage can be compensated for by working with local and state officials who are more receptive to local media coverage of their activities and policies. Local journalists also have to do a better job at working with disadvantaged communities and minority groups to assess what kind of news coverage is relevant to their daily needs and interests.
Providing important information to readers about economic affairs and political involvement as well as educational and vocational opportunities available to residents of marginalized communities is essential to establish credibility and support for independent journalism which is accountable to community members rather than investor shareholders.
New Jersey is among those states where independent journalists, many of them formerly employed by corporate media who lost their jobs for the sake of increasing profits for capitalist investors like Gannett Newspapers, have joined together to collaborate and cooperate with each other for establishing independent, community-oriented and not-for-profit news services.
Leading and coordinating the movement in New Jersey for independent journalism and local news reporting is the Center for Cooperative Media, a unit within the School of Communication and Media for Montclair State University. The Center was founded in 2012 in response to the downsizing of New Jersey news organizations and the changes in the ownership of regional public media. These shifts in the news and information landscape hurt the volume of local news available especially in poor, disadvantaged and minority communities.
The Center coordinates statewide and regional reporting, connecting smaller, local and independent news providers with each other through its sponsorship and funding of the New Jersey News Commons. The Commons helps partners to share content and encourages them to collaborate and support one another. The Center also conducts and publishes research on emerging ideas and best practices, focusing on local journalism and business models.
New Jersey and several other states as well as municipalities have already demonstrated that there are opportunities and support for local, independent journalism that puts the interests of people and communities ahead of increasing profits for corporate media giants like Gannett Newspapers which only serve to fatten the bank accounts of investor capitalists.
Ken Bank is a semi-retired business executive, part-time playwright, and freelance writer with masters degrees in business and history. He lives in New Jersey and is active in the local Democratic Party organization in support of progressive policies.
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