Comments

1
I have thoughts - these guys are completely wrong.
Who is posting 'propaganda?' Isn't that the definition of FEDERALLY paid for news?

Now show them Craigslist and listen to the whining.
2
That's nice that they pass out stickers to help people vandalize newspaper boxes - would you appreciate the Merc's many detractors feeling they had complete right to do the same to your boxes?

3
God damn it. Please stop making me shift further and further to the right, Mercury. Why is it that every time you champion a cause it involves the federal government taking more money from me and giving it to someone else?
4
The press is supposed to hold government accountable. Federally subsidizing it reverses the equation.

5
I draw boners on Mercury boxes but it's done out of love.
6
Not to play devil's advocate here, but doesn't the press also have a stake in holding private organizations accountable? I mean, The Jungle wasn't about the Federal Bureau of Meat.

And while Federal money almost always has controls on how and when it can be revoked, advertising dollars are wholly dependent on the whim of the advertiser.
7
"Self-styled saviors of journalism"? Where did that come from?
8
Your bullet points neglect to mention that Nichols' & McChesney's book, as they
made clear during their Powell's presentation and enlightening Q & A, retrieves
the lost history of our nation subsidizing the freedom of the press (for anyone who could afford to own a printing press and pay the labor cost) by granting newspapers of any persuasion free postage through the U.S. Postal Service. This was seen by the U.S. founders and first legislators as a necessary addition to the national debt left by the American Revolution (yes our first national debt dates to the first government) in order to protect the Fourth Estate, as a free press was deemed a prerequisite to an informed electorate and a functioning democratic republic. Interesting timing given today's most activist Supreme Court fall-out from Bush-Cheney's loading of the high bench by having any constraints on direct corporate contributions to political candidates ruled unconstitutional. Not just PAC shmearing of pols but now direct corporate funding of candidates is on. Meaning that while pols can be limitlessly subsidized by corporations with discretionary budgets, individuals with no discretionary budgets or tax write-offs lose their freedom of political expression by dint of not being granted free broadcast time or press space. My own critique of Nichols' & McChesney's prescription for serious journalism being a public good that needs federal funding due to the failure of the market to provide it (isn't that the definition of health care too?) is based on the demonstrated lack of demand for public scrutiny of legislators and socially relevant journalism. With a lack of demand, any supply of free press simply means more junk mail and any free broadcast channel simply means more public access cable beaming out to Pluto.
9
*please* get your facts straight, Mirk ~~ the events at Powell's are held on the third floor. Not the fourth.
10
@Mitch - I like how you say "retrieves the lost history." Because that makes it sound much more awesome. How did you ever find it?? I imagine a cave was involved, and maybe lazer security.
11
Subsidize journalism? Absolutely. There's no singular, propagandistic voice coming from the federal government, anyway. It's always too centrist-right for lefties and too centralized and communistic for right-wingers (except when they're in charge, of course).

Spread the money out. Let Anarcho-Vegan gender separatists, neo-nazi loonies and all groups in-between have their shot at publishing. If they can't get readership, then cut the chord.

If the gob'ment can subsidize the promotion of McNuggets in China and supply millions every year to sustain those ingrate FLDS polygamist, child-raping freak communities, then they should do their part for journalism and public discourse.
12
@blownspeakers -- I count four floors, unless you count the Couch entrance floor as -1. Maybe next time I'll stick to the non-controversial "Pearl Room."

@laylow -- thanks for posting the rundown on historic postal subsidies. I wanted to keep the bullet points short and sweet, but you can read more about ye olde federal subsidies of papers in the pairs' book or in The Nation article.
13
Mirk: both Burnside and Couch entrances are considered the First Floor since, due to the building being built on an incline, both entrances are at ground/street level.

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