Post No. 200: In Defense of Film Critics

One of the most revealing essays about the muddled minds at the helm of daily newspapers these days can be found in the latest edition of American Journalism Review. You can read it here: 
 
The End of The Affair
 
The article documents the growing trend of eliminating film critics at newspapers. Faced with plunging advertising revenue and audiences, masters of printing mechanisms across the nation are eliminating all sorts of local voices: Columnists, film reviewers, auto critics, editorial cartoonists, etc. Film critics seem to be at the top of the list. The rationale? According to the article: 
 
"We've made a strategic decision that our future rests in providing readers unique local stories'" and other local content, Bert Roughton, the (Atlanta Journal Constitution)'s managing editor for print, wrote in an e-mail interview.'To be consistent with this strategy, we've decided not to use our staff to produce reviews that we can get from other sources.'" 
 
When you get editors bleating about "strategic interest" instead of fighting for a well-rounded voice, well, you've captured MY attention. Daily newspaper editors, under the thumb of masters of printing mechanisms, are more afraid of losing their jobs than they are of providing a great product. So, they are allowing the guts of their newspapers – the heart – to be destroyed and replaced by boring, rehashed wire news from far away. Less editing! Same pay! Win-win! 
 
On the day I began to write this, Aug. 3, here's what the A section of the AJC contained, according to the newspaper's Web site. Watch that "strategic decision" at play: 
 
• WINNERS CAP CAREERS - Local feature about local athletes at Georgia Tech. 
• New mother was 'really, really lucky' - Bridge collapse story from wire. 
• Hard questions, fading hope: Searchers frustrated by risky conditions - Bridge collapse story from wire. 
• Plenty here in need of repairs, but state says none unsafe - Bridge collapse localization 
• Common chemical rouses concern - Wire story on BPA. 
• Safe site sought for talks on S. Korean hostages - Wire story on Afghanistan story. 
• Senate's vote boosts funding for kids' health - Bureau story. 
• Senators want Gonzales out - Wire story. 
• Panel gets little from Bush aide: Rove underling fails to shed light on prosecutors' firings - Wire story. 
• Baghdad taps run dry - Wire story. 
• Senate approval sends ethics bill to president - Wire story. 
• Bush: No small change: Spending plans' $22 billion gulf 'a lot of money' - Wire story. 
• Study: Moms quick to stop breast-feeding - wire story. 
• NATION IN BRIEF: Bush aides face questions - Collection of wire stories. 
• Court rules against insured Katrina victims - Wire story. 
• WORLD IN BRIEF: Serbs deny herd at risk - Collection of wire stories. 
• House votes to give troops guaranteed time at home - Wire story. 
• IRAQ DEVELOPMENTS - Collection of wire stories. 
• Silence, please! Atlanta gets its first Zen master - Local feature. 
 
Lead art was a massive picture from the Minnesota bridge collapse. The local zen master DID get a mug shot on A1. Now, to be fair, the AJC also has a local news, or "Metro," section. But it seems odd to me that a newspaper attempting to brand itself with "unique local" news would devote so much of its main section with dry rehashes of wire reports. 
 
I was trading e-mails the other day with Jeff Westhoff, the long-time Northwest Herald film critic relegated to freelancing when that paper eliminated his full-time role last year, and I pointed him to that article. I have always enjoyed Jeff both as a great newsroom character with a dry wit and as a reviewer (though he and I NEVER agree on animated movies). He wrote: 
 
"Naturally I agree with Philip Lopate and Douglas McLennan of ArtsJournal when they say that a film critic gives a newspaper a unique voice. Local coverage is not the same as local voice. News stories provide necessary information, but giving readers staff personalities they can identify with or fume at should also necessary for newspapers." 
 
Then he shared a great story that illustrates the connection readers can have with their local film critic. 
 
"As we know, newspaper editors are agonizing over ways to entice younger readers to pick up a paper or add a hit to the paper's Web site tally. In May I was invited to speak at a student journalists conference at McHenry County College. The organizer said I was by far the most popular choice and though my two sessions were in a large room, people had to be turned away both times." 
 
I wonder how many staffers at any newspaper would be able to claim the same drawing power? Maybe I should ask Bert Roughton at the AJC. 
 
There's even a more insidious concept being played out here. At the same time that long-time, full-salaried, local voices are being drummed out of the news pages, many newspapers are also rushing to recreate themselves on the Internet. I have previously documented these ham-handed efforts. 
 
As professional, credible, articulate voices are eliminated, many newspaper Web sites have opened their doors to unmoderated "comments" from readers. One of the most horrific examples of this is at the daily newspaper here in Brevard County, Florida Today. 
 
Florida Today 

While comments are a well-intentioned idea that is supposed to reflect the freedom of the Internet, here is what normally happens: About two dozen "regulars" who have nothing but time on their hands make rude comments on every story that is posted. They fight with each other, shout down others who try to add to the mix, make wild assertions over guilt and/or innocence that responsible journalists would never make and they dominate a newspaper Web site's voice. 
 
And that voice is ugly and disrespectful. 
 
Is that what we've come to embrace? Is that the model for the future? A good newspaper - and even its Web site - should reflect the values of the entire community it serves as well as the ideals to which it strives. 
 
There should be an effort at every newspaper that is staring into the abyss to understand the value of its total package: News, views, ads, functionality (which includes everything from customer service to circulation service to print quality). These should be seen as the four legs of a chair: The chair becomes weakened and more like to collapse every time you whittle away at a leg. Readers expect the newspaper to have many views; to have a local voice. They can already buy a generic newspaper; it's called USA Today. 
 
Jeff made this great point: 
 
"Everyone keeps saying newspapers are dying. I say that's only because they're commiting suicide. For example, the underlying mentality for getting rid of staff film critics cited in this article seems to be, 'So many film reviews are available on the Internet.' So these editors will surrender to the Internet that easily? They should be saying, 'Sure you can find hundreds of reviews for this movie on the Internet, but few will be as stylishly written or as thought-provoking as the one written by our critic. And our readers care about that.'" 
 
Actually, Jeff, giving a staff film reviewer his own space in the newspaper and an emerging role on the Internet with a blog that is simulcast and co-branded on MySpace.Com, FaceBook.Com and even Blogger.Com would seem to give a newspaper an advantage, especially if it truly sought those who intersect with those varied demographics. It would lay the groundwork for creating a true Internet community. 
 
I'll discuss that concept later. Thanks, Jeff, for sharing your great insight. 
 
More later, 
 

Mark