Matt Zimmer

[mango4]

Problem is the Argus has been so poorly managed the last several years there is nothing there worth paying. The Daily Republic, The American News, The Register each have more content worth buying. The Argus has never been able to overcome loss of their business model when ad dollars moved to internet. It is sad, but no one can expect people to subscribe to a newspaper filled with news that is essentially free on the internet.

The American News is also run by Gannett and looking at their website, it's just old Argus and Public Opinion (also a Gannett newspaper) stories. One of the lead sports stories is about SF Jefferson girls beating Watertown. The weekly athletic schedule is Watertown area schools. I don't think the American News has more than three people on staff, and just has free lancers doing the sports.

[jackrabit1]

One of the biggest errors in the late 20th Century is the corporatization of media venues.

Don't get me wrong, corporations have their place in our society. But when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed and removed ownership limitations, it turned out to be a disaster.

The biggest issue that I've seen is that decisions regarding TV/Radio/Newspaper content, coverage, and personnel are now made at the regional/national level, with little to no input from their local markets. It's a "Top-Down" style of leadership, which tends to overlook the actual impact of their decisions on local markets.

Take the Argus Leader, for example. At its height, the paper was the go-to source for statewide coverage of news/sports/etc. in a population of less than 100,000 people. When the Internet came, Gannett/USA started hacking away at the personnel and the content of the paper. Instead of being the go-to for statewide coverage, the Argus has become a shell of itself. Nowadays, the paper looks more like a rehash of stories from USA today, and very little local stuff. Taking away local control like printing in town and designing the paper's layout in Des Moines, makes the Argus feel less like a local paper and more like "USA Today Lite."

And people notice. They notice the lack of content, the lack of depth, and the ever-increasing price and they decide it simply isn't worth the cost. And they cancel their subscriptions and go to other venues. Because places like Gannett are more concerned with making stockholders happy than they are about the quality of their papers. Of course, the rallying cry is "Support your local journalists!" It's hard to justify that cry when the price of newspapers and subscriptions go up, while layoffs and furloughs are happening with increasing frequency.

Yes, this is rant. And no, this is not some tirade against all corporations. But there are some industries that do well under a corporate structure. Unfortunately, local newspapers aren't it.

[LetsGoRabbits]

One of the biggest errors in the late 20th Century is the corporatization of media venues.

Don't get me wrong, corporations have their place in our society. But when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed and removed ownership limitations, it turned out to be a disaster.

The biggest issue that I've seen is that decisions regarding TV/Radio/Newspaper content, coverage, and personnel are now made at the regional/national level, with little to no input from their local markets. It's a "Top-Down" style of leadership, which tends to overlook the actual impact of their decisions on local markets.

Take the Argus Leader, for example. At its height, the paper was the go-to source for statewide coverage of news/sports/etc. in a population of less than 100,000 people. When the Internet came, Gannett/USA started hacking away at the personnel and the content of the paper. Instead of being the go-to for statewide coverage, the Argus has become a shell of itself. Nowadays, the paper looks more like a rehash of stories from USA today, and very little local stuff. Taking away local control like printing in town and designing the paper's layout in Des Moines, makes the Argus feel less like a local paper and more like "USA Today Lite."

And people notice. They notice the lack of content, the lack of depth, and the ever-increasing price and they decide it simply isn't worth the cost. And they cancel their subscriptions and go to other venues. Because places like Gannett are more concerned with making stockholders happy than they are about the quality of their papers. Of course, the rallying cry is "Support your local journalists!" It's hard to justify that cry when the price of newspapers and subscriptions go up, while layoffs and furloughs are happening with increasing frequency.

Yes, this is rant. And no, this is not some tirade against all corporations. But there are some industries that do well under a corporate structure. Unfortunately, local newspapers aren't it.

100% agree with you!

of course this goes beyond media. it is just becoming harder and harder for small and local business to thrive and local media is part of that. but just a for instance, is there even one locally owned convenience store in Sioux Falls any longer?

and to your point regarding media, it definitely goes beyond the newspaper. Local TV news is anything but local any longer. the sports are still pretty locally focused, but the rest of the news really does not reflect SD in any way at all. the stories either come directly from national news or are heavily influenced by it

[OldHare]

There is a sighting of the SLT in the Argus!! It is a how to watch column & first round games by Gabriela Velasquez. This is her bio.
Gabriela Velasquez is planning editor and audience engagement specialist based out of Columbia, Mo. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and 2019 fellow of the National Critics Institute, and has won both regional and national awards for her arts writing and photo illustrations.