April 28, 2009
The Kamen Report
Baldwin, NY – New York based Print-Media Appraiser and Broker Kevin Kamen, President/CEO of Kamen & Co Group Services said today,”We should all be fearful of the overall quality of journalism diminishing across the board as we watch the newspaper and magazine industry and the business of operating all print media entities disintegrate as ownership groups close titles and or cut back staff to try and balance the bottom line.” He continued, ” I expect that we will eventually all see less investigative stories, less human interest, sports, scientific and local community reporting coverage as publishing execs seek drastic measures to save costs and this is something that simply can not happen.” Kamen said, “At the same time, with consumers purchasing less newspapers and circulation crumbling, with advertisers struggling to stay in business and pulling back from marketing both their services and products and the housing industry in the tank nationwide, classifieds have also been fatally knocked out of the advertising equation and one can recognize why dramatic changes must be implemented. I am deeply concerned about the general level of top-notch editorial content being sacrificed at many news agencies and publishing institutions with all these recent severe cutbacks and layoffs in the industry.” Kamen concluded his remarks stating,” The public deserves honest, independent, innovative, passionate and accurate quality analysis and reporting and has come to appreciate and expect it over the years. Publications not only keep the public informed but have a way of keeping politicians and local officials accountable to their constituencies. Newspapers influence fairness and often take on the role of being like big brother. Poor and disadvantaged citizens who can’t stand up for themselves depend on newspapers to protect and promote positive change. I would hope that each media company does not sacrifice its responsibility to its readers content for the sake of the almighty dollar. Whether one has time to read a newspaper or magazine each day is irrelevent. Newspapers must do what is genuinely expected of them and should provide superior editorial quality regardless of the economic environment and all of us should demand it – both in print and online editions. If less coverage can be provided to certain subject matter, so be it. However, what is covered should be written by the best writers and reporters and delivered passionately to each reader regardless of the dire economic ills affecting most US citizens at this time. Now is when the best journalism is required – from economic analysis and discovery on Wall Street to Main Street.”