News-Record.com

Tim Porter has been analyzing Philip Meyer's "The Vanishing Newspaper: Saving Journalism in the Information Age" chapter by chapter.

I haven't read Dr. Meyer's book yet -- and I emphasize yet -- but I've been following Porter's deconstruction closely. Dr. Meyer, a journalism professor at UNC, apparently has done what so many other media watcher haven't: Substantiated his conclusions with research. (Updated correction: Meyer's not a Dr.)

In brief, Meyer argues that there is a connection between quality journalism and profitability. He is looking to save "the social responsibility functions that have been traditional for newspapers." As Porter describes it: Quality journalism = credibility and influence = readership = profits. And the converse as well: Reduce quality hurts credibility which hurts circulation which hurts advertising which hurts profits.

There's a lot of stuff in the book. But I am struck by this conclusion by Porter: And, in a period when sources of news and opinion are at once exploding in number and narrowing in focus, I believe credibility counts most of all. This argues for greater transparency by newspapers, more interaction with the community and further dissolution of the barrier between the producers and consumers of news.

This is the path we're taking. By Porter's description of Meyer's book, it looks to be a long journey. So far, though, it's been fun.