Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The last thing we want is politicians running newspapers, but so too we don't want newspapers running the government.
In fact, I don't read newspapers any longer.
Without freedom of the press, there can be no representative government.
I think we'll always have newspapers, but they'll lose influence.
No one needs to tell me about the importance of the free press in a democratic society or about the essential role a newspaper can play in its community.
I believe that a newspaper is a great civic asset and that ownership is best in the hands of foundations or wealthy families that want to own it for reasons other than maximizing profits. I also believe newspapers should remain in local hands.
I did not read newspapers until I became a reporter.
The reason we have not gone to newspapers is because its a slow growth industry and I think they are dying. I'm not sure there will be newspapers in 10 years. I read newspapers every day. I even read Murdoch's Wall Street Journal.
In the end, does it really matter if newspapers physically disappear? Probably not: the world is always changing. But does it matter if organisations independent enough and rich enough to employ journalists to do their job disappear? Yes, that matters hugely; it affects the whole of life and society.
We're newspaper junkies; I can't imagine life without a newspaper.