What the media gets wrong about guns

The shooting at Sandy Hook has brought gun policy to the forefront of our national conversation. President Obama has pledged to act aggressively on the issue, having laid out a comprehensive plan, including new weapons regulations as well as law enforcement and public awareness programs, in the hope of reducing gun violence. This will be a marquee issue in Washington and throughout the country over the next several months, and media coverage will only intensify.

With that said, too few journalists have a solid understanding of guns and gun violence. Here are three major things the media gets wrong. [Read more…]

Part 3: Papers must charge for web site to survive

Sorry, one more time …

Three press authorities far more august than me also say papers are crazy for not charging for a web site … here they are …

New York Times editor Bill Keller, in Gawker: “A lot of people in the news business, myself included, don’t buy as a matter of theology that information ‘wants to be free.’ Really good information, often extracted from reluctant sources, truth-tested, organized and explained — that stuff wants to be paid for.” … http://tinyurl.com/awdwev

Legal/journo guru Steve Brill, in American Journalism Review: “The press has to stop committing suicide by giving journalism away for free. Start charging for it, start believing in your product.” http://tinyurl.com/apzdq8

Former Wall Street media hotshot Henry Blodget, in Silicon Alley Insider: The NYT “should explore charging an on-line subscription fee” in a hybrid form a la the Wall Street Journal. … http://tinyurl.com/8pzu25