A new bill in the Kansas Senate threatens the already precarious nature of newspapers around the state. The bill would allow governments - city, county and school boards - to post legal ads on their web site, instead of in their local newspaper.
Some other states are also toying with the idea. Iowa has a bill like that it is considering, and perhaps others.
Kansas tried this bill a few years ago, but it fell by the wayside after an aggressive defense from the Kansas Press Association.
Last week it was there again, with the ways and means committee hearing testimony.
The bill would give local government the option of putting legal ads on web sites, but would not require it.
Doug Anstaett, director of the KPA, said "When did open government become optional?"
The KPA is arguing that this is a matter of open government and keeping government accountable.
What it really is about is money.
Newspapers can still cover local government just as well, whether it has legal ads or not.
It is no secret that newspapers are in trouble nationwide. Losing legal ads would be the death knell for many papers.
Legal ads are nothing more than a government subsidy of newspapers.
Currently governments are required to post legal ads in newspapers, and often they are required to buy the ads three times. This amounts to thousands of dollars for most cities of any size. Legal ads keep a lot of weekly papers from going under.
Seems to me the KPA should not be so arrogant in arguing its position.
This is not a matter of open government, it is a matter of financing.
People's tax money is going to subsidize newspapers. Legal ads are a great cash cow for newspapers, and state government is in a position to let local government keep their cow.
Arkansas City paid the local newspaper $2400 in December for legal ads, according to city figures, just to give an idea.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
I would assume under the new bill the cities could choose to post on the web or the local paper or both.
ReplyDeleteThere is a pretty strong argument that the web is more open than the local newspaper.
With all the positive support our local newspaper gave our local senator, I am sure he has their back.
Well lets just say that newspapers won't be the first or last type of business that didn't get carried from one Generation to the next without any competition or the need to earn their own way or justify their existence!
ReplyDeleteI think that since the library has internet that is available to anyone, the State should change the law to allow cities to post legal notices on the city website and save the taxpayer money that is paid to the newspaper. BUT, I also feel that the legal notices should be posted on the website, and the city should not be able to have a choice in that. The people have a right to know this information, and if you make it optional, the city will not share that information.
ReplyDeleteOk, so what about all the people that don't have computers or the internet? Alot of our older generation still get all their info from newspapers. Sounds like a great idea, but when one looks at the big picture, it is not.
ReplyDeleteJust one point, the "option" would be WHERE things are published, not IF.
ReplyDeleteOften these legal ads are calls for bids on jobs.
The point is that the newspapers are making a good bit of cash from this legal requirement. It does amount to a government subsidy.
@jj, 8:26
ReplyDeletetouche. As local & state governments continue to grapple for ways to save $$, this will become a reality. I would imagine our local paper (and many others) shivers at such potential changes.
@CC,
ReplyDeleteA lot of the younger generation gets all their information from the internet. But regardless, I am all for the individual cities having the choice of where they publish the information.
Nationwide the latest polls show newspaper subscription at about 30% and internet access at about 60%.
The point is that the newspapers are making a good bit of cash from this legal requirement. It does amount to a government subsidy.
ReplyDeleteJJ you are not getting any of the revenue either way, its been done that way since the early 1900 the Newspaper is the most complete way to reach the majority of the people , access is easy , unlike the internet , you cannot deliver that to an elderly persons door daily
You would be surprised how many elderly people are internet savvy. I have seen many seniors at the Manor using the internet. And, like I mentioned earlier, the library has free internet, so the argument of people not having access is moot. How many people in town actually subscribe to the POS Traveler? JJ, do you know what the subscription numbers were when you left?
ReplyDelete@10:18 "that's the way we've always done it." That's your answer? Please. Who in their right mind would pay money for our local paper? The editor uses it as nothing more than a mouthpiece for his liberal bias. His blogs do not allow dissenting posts. (I refuse to post there, btw) Why should cities be OBLIGATED to use local papers? Why can't cities, like any other entity be allowed to save $$ where they can? "That's the way it's always been" ha. If people want information that' important to them, they will find a way to get it. Imagine if cave men felt that way. We'd still be writing with charcoal.
ReplyDeleteThe circulation numbers were dismal, but, not any worse than any other newspaper.
ReplyDeleteCirculation is declining everywhere as the world changes.
There are lots of older people on the internet. Many readers of this blog are over 65.
My point in posting that was just the government subsidy. The newspaper industry is in a precarious position. It calls for open government and such, but is wanting the government to agree to subsidize it.
"My point in posting that was just the government subsidy."
ReplyDeleteI knew that, jj. But, honestly the way the management at the local paper have treated folks around town, just the mention of papers can't help but dredge up hard feelings. They don't even show the ones who foot the bill much respect. (I mean the readers) But, we all gotta learn to move on...