The Future of Community News Coverage - It doesn't look good

Bob Dylan once proclaimed that "something is happening here but you don't know what it is.  Do you, Mr. Jones?"  

 

Well there's something happening with our local media that could affect the future scope and  depth of Little Falls news coverage.

 

This past July, Gannett Co. Inc., the nation’s largest news publisher, purchased the North Jersey Media Group (NJMG) from the Borg family which had owned it since 1930.

 

The NJMG, which publishes The Record, the Herald News, and 49 community newspapers including the Passaic Valley Today, announced on September 14th  that a restructuring of operations across its newsroom and sales department would mean the loss of 200 jobs effective, mid-November.

 

According to Richard Green, the newly hired NJMG editor and vice-president of content, "This is not merely a restructure, but a bold, ambitious vision to make North Jersey Media Group even more competitive in the metro New York City market."

 

While Bob Dylan noted that "The times they are a changin" the termination of so many NJMG staff members and the merger of community newspapers will seriously reduce the ability of the NJMG to provide in-depth coverage of important community issues.

 

There are changes coming and they don't seem to be good.