NO, NO: To Bailing Out Newspapers!

 "No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions." --Thomas Jefferson to John Tyler, 1804. ME 11:33

We already see the dangers of a large media that is influenced by one political view. It would be disastrous for the government to get involved with any newspaper.  

The argument for government bail out in regard to newspapers is this: no democracy can remain healthy unless it has a strong and prosperous press.  But let's look at this way that no newspaper is healthy and prosperous if it needs the government beauracracy to survive. Whatever demands the American consumer has for news will demand a market, and it will survive or something better will take its place.  Americans have always looked to the press to provide facts so that we could make our decisions based on them.  If the public no longer trusts a newspaper, or it doesn't meet its needs; it shouldn't survive.

The biggest threat to American freedom is the government controlling the media...TRedwine

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2009: The Year of the Newspaper Bailout?

By Tom Blumer (Bio | Archive)
January 1, 2009 - 20:04 ET

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Michelle Malkin called it, as did several NewsBusters commenters. Their prediction was that newspapers on the brink would be asking for government bailouts.

It came to pass in late November that seven Connecticut legislators asked the state's Department of Economic and Community Development for help in keeping the New Britain Herald and the Bristol Press afloat. A JPEG of the full letter with three of the seven signatures is here. Alleged GOP Governor Jodi Rell is apparently sympathetic.

A Wednesday "analysis" piece by Robert MacMillan of Reuters reports that the state agency is indeed "offering tax breaks, training funds, financing opportunities and other incentives for publishers, but not cash." continue on at Newsbusters