More than 360 newspapers shut down in pandemic
The pandemic has been bad for the country’s local newspapers. But maybe not as bad as some people have feared.
More than 360 newspapers in the United States have gone out of business since just before the start of the pandemic, according to a new report from Northwestern University’s journalism school.
That same pace – about two closures per week – was occurring before the pandemic. Many newspaper analysts had thought that the economic conditions created by the coronavirus, especially a decline in advertising, would cause the rate to increase considerably.
“The good news is there were a lot of fears as the pandemic set in and we had a very severe economic constriction that it was going to be kind of the death knell for many newspapers,” said Penelope Muse Abernathy, author of the report and a visiting professor at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. “The good news is it didn’t occur. The bad news is, or the concerning news is, we are continuing to lose newspapers at the same rate we’ve been losing them since 2005.”
The closures have perpetuated the problem of so-called news deserts – places with limited access to local news, the report said. More than one-fifth of Americans now live in such a place, or in a place that is at risk of becoming one.
Overall, 2,500 newspapers in the United States – a quarter of them – have closed since 2005. The country is set up to lose one-third of its newspapers by 2025.
NHTSA to scrutinize auto-driver technology
The new head of the government’s road safety agency says he will intensify efforts to understand the risks posed by automated vehicle technology.
Steven Cliff said the aim is to help National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decide what regulations may be necessary to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
Cliff said in an interview Wednesday with the Associated Press that agency is assessing crash data recently reported by automakers and tech companies. Any new regulations that the agency may impose would fill what critics say is an urgent need to address the growing use of driver assisted systems.
The systems have been linked to crashes involving deaths and serious injuries, though they also have enormous potential to prevent crashes.
Vote on Spirit merger with Frontier on Thursday
Shareholders of Spirit Airlines will vote Thursday on a proposed merger with Frontier Airlines, and the outcome could affect fares for millions of air travelers who depend on the budget airlines.
The merger would create a single airline that might dominate the lower-price end of the airline market. Opinions are divided about what would happen if JetBlue buys Spirit. Either way, consumers will probably find something to complain about. Spirit, Frontier and JetBlue had the highest complaint rates in the industry last year.
– Compiled by Dave Flessner