The Zombie Cat: Human Interest/Bizarre as News Value

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Newspapers Die, Bad Things Happen

English: Front of local news sheet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Washington Post: Danny Hayes of George Washington University warns that “the impoverishment of local political news in recent years is driving down citizen engagement.”

“Previous work has shown that the recent deaths of newspapers in big cities — such as Cincinnati, Denver and Seattle — have coincided with lower levels of civic participation. With fewer outlets providing public affairs information, voters appear less politically active.”

Hayes’ analysis, “based on a large-scale study of local coverage and citizen behavior in every congressional district across the country, demonstrates that the fading of two-newspaper towns is not the only problem. When the content of local news deteriorates — as has happened nationwide in an era of newsroom austerity — so do citizen knowledge and participation.”

“To the extent that a knowledgeable and participatory citizenry is a marker of a healthy political system, the demise of local news should raise concerns about the operation of electoral democracy. An anemic news environment makes it more difficult for citizens to hold their local representatives accountable.”

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First Assignment Due Thursday, January 29

Topic: Should USF faculty forbid the use of smartphones in class?

Length: Your choice but I recommend that you*write tight*.