I wonder what Nelson Poynter would think of the news business today.
Nelson was the gentleman who created the school now known as The Poynter Institute.
He was also the newspaper publisher whose “Standards of Ownership,” began with this tenet: “Ownership, or participation in ownership, of a publication or broadcasting property is a sacred trust and a great privilege.”
I wonder what Nelson Poynter would think of an environment in which news organizations are bought and sold, measured by quarterly profits, supersized, or downsized like the fast food business.
Where’s the trust?
Nelson Poynter believed in independent journalism. He believed an independent news organization could serve a community, without distracting or encumbering ties to other businesses or other communities.
That’s a far cry from an environment in which 10 companies own the newspapers that provide over half the nation’s weekly circulation. It is a long way from a climate in which two companies own many of the radio stations in the largest markets, in which ownership of all media is increasingly in the hands of a few.
Nelson Poynter: “Ownership, or participation in ownership, of a publication or broadcasting property is a sacred trust and a great privilege.”Granted, journalistic quality isn’t determined by type of ownership. Many local, independent owners have produced generations of narrow, biased, shoddy reporting. Some of the nation’s best work comes from newsrooms owned by large chains. Independent ownership doesn’t mean being limited to only one community. Poynter, himself, created a business that included Congressional Quarterly in Washington, in addition to the St. Petersburg Times and The Poynter Institute, yet he focused on journalism and emphasized the importance of the community that it served.
What would he think of a system in which news executives are rooted in a company and are rotated in and out of communities, never quite becoming grounded in any of them? What would he think of far-flung ownership structures that can limit the enthusiasm for reporting, particularly reporting on the parent company?
One other point underlies Nelson Poynter’s thinking. He believed that serving a community well produced quality journalism and that quality caused the business to thrive. He understood business. He worked to reduce or eliminate debt, to build reserves, and to set and meet standards for dividends. His goal was to provide the means to produce quality journalism that would serve a community and, therefore, lead to profits.
I wonder what he would think of an environment in which news organizations are measured on quarterly returns, rather than valued as long-term investments that pay off through service.
Could it be that the world has changed so much since Nelson Poynter wrote his “Standards” in 1947? Are his thoughts no longer relevant? I think they are. Turning away from the trust by some affects the news business.
The effect can be seen as communities become cynical and disinterested in news media that see them as markets instead of as citizens. It shows up when news organizations realize there are few — if any — journalists among the most senior executives or in boardrooms. It shows as editors and news directors find themselves defending journalism to business executives instead of leading newsrooms to greater efforts. And it shows as news staffers feel that their work is an unwanted expense instead of a noble mission.
He was a creative man. No doubt Nelson Poynter would be studying the best business practices among news owners, if he were here today. No doubt he would align himself with those operating with the highest standards. He would probably look for solutions to the situations that frustrate journalists and undermine the news business. He’d probably find some answers, and so should we.
Ownership of news organizations is still a sacred trust, a trust that is worth preserving.
