Union Leader pulls political columns from web

The Union Leader posts a web banner this morning announcing that they will publish their three influential political columns, John DiStaso's "Granite Status", Scott Brooks' "City Hall", and Tom Fahey's "Under the State House Dome" only in their print edition from now on. Political junkies will no longer be able to read the must-read columns online Thursday and Sunday mornings, and blogs as this one will no longer be able to link to interesting tidbits from the columns.

The move is prompted by the stunning circulation drop seen by every major newspaper in the country. First, Craigslist took their classified ad revenue, and then the Internet took their readers. Newspapers have responded by posting their content online, but reading a story on your computer screen doesn't get you to read the expensive print ads purchased by the newspaper's advertisers. In order to continue charging for ad space, newspapers like the Union Leader need people to get the print edition delivered to their home, or pick up a piece of dead tree on the gas station on the way to work.

Taking its most valuable content offline is a risky move for New Hampshire's largest and most influential newspaper. By walling off its political coverage from the Internet, the Union Leader risks becoming irrelevant in the modern political climate. The influence of a political column isn't just on those who read it regularly. It is from sharing and spreading that information far and wide in order to set the convention wisdom within the political world.

Distaso's column, easily the most powerful political real estate in New Hampshire, now becomes less so because it will be so much harder to share his stories across the state and beyond. His column can no longer to linked to in a campaign newsletter or emailed to immediately to potential donors across the country. If a political story isn't on the Internet, it won't show up in search engine results or be part of the archive of political memory. A lot more people use Google than Lexis-Nexis.

By telling its audience that political news will no longer be available at UnionLeader.com, the paper also risks driving its best sources to other journalist. DiStaso, Fahey, and Brooks are fine reporters, but every political reporter relies extensively on tips and leads sent in by campaigns and their supporters. As a press secretary and a candidate, I often gave leads to John in hopes of making it into his column on Thursday morning. Now, it might make more sense to call Kevin Landrigan in hopes of making his Sunday column in the Nashua Telegraph. The paper's circulation might be smaller, but being able to link to it makes it a lot easier to distribute it far and wide.

The Union Leader hopes that the political influence of its columnists is too large for New Hampshire's political class to ignore. They will be forced to either pick the paper in the morning, or subscribe to the e-edition of the Union Leader, an online reproduction of the print edition available for $1.50 per week or $59.99 per year. But the Wall Street Journal and New York Times both found out that their readers wouldn't pay a premium to read their opinion pages, and dropped their subscription walls. We'll see if the Union Leader can't buck that trend.

Old media meets new media

At NH Watchdog, we're not only interested in public policy, but also how that information makes it way to the public. The Union Leader has always featured excellent photography, and it trying a new way to share those images with the public; YouTube.

Here is a slide show from Union Leader Tom Roy's photographs from Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter's Manchester town hall.

This is an innovate use of new media technology to share the paper's resources with a wider audience, and to share far more images than could be printed in the paper itself.

Meet the New Press Archive

The guys at Granite Grok have posted the podcasts from last week's edition of "Meet the New Press", co-hosting by NH Watchdog's Grant Bosse.

Here are some of the highlights:

Segment 3: New media and state government

Segment 4: The Charter School Cap threatens to kick NH students out of school

You can listen to the whole show here, which includes conversations about D-Day and the Battle of Midway, as well as guests Gov. John Sununu and author Leslie Carbone.

UL- "Bosse bounced: Senate silences critic"

The Union Leader editorial page stands up new media's coverage of state government:

On June 3rd, Senate President Sylvia Larsen revoked the press credentials of reporter Grant Bosse, who works for the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy in Concord. Bosse is a former radio news reporter whom the Bartlett Center hired to cover the Legislature this session. He's also a former Republican candidate for Congress in the 2nd District, and his reporting, as it is done for a free-market think tank, comes with an ideological point of view.

Just before debate on the state budget was to begin, Senate Communications Director Anne Saunders informed Bosse that he would have to leave the Senate floor. Sen. Larsen no longer recognized his press credentials.

Why? Well, Bosse says he was told that he works for a think tank, not a media organization. But the Bartlett Center is both. So what if the information Bosse gathers is reported in policy reports and columns vs. in a newspaper or over the airwaves?

Bosse's political leanings shouldn't matter either. Newspaper editorial writers and opinion columnists have press credentials. Bosse's work is no different from theirs.

We'd like to thank the traditional media for recognizing th importance of new media. You don't need a printing press or a transmitter for the First Amendment to apply.

AP is here to defend 1st Amendment; not to practice it

The Associated Press has made a habit of going after bloggers for what most people consider fair use of breaking news. Now, AP management has reprimanded a reporter over a Facebook post:

An Associated Press reporter’s official reprimand over an innocuous comment on his Facebook page has sparked the ire of union officials. They are now demanding that AP clarify its ethics guidelines and are also urging reporters to watch who they add to their friends lists.

I've always had a great relationship with the New Hampshire Associated Press. Dave Tirrell-Wysocki was phenomenal to work with as AP Broadcast Editor, and Norma Love is indispensable at the State House.

But nationally, the AP has been hamfisted and thuggish in its response to new media. And its coverage of the Presidential campaign was laughably one-sided. No wonder the youngsters are turning to Jon Stewart for their news and commentary.

Blue Hampshire: When does "New Media" cross into "major nuisance"?

Over at BlueHampshire, Zandra Rice Hawkins debates herself as to whether independent journalists working for think-tanks should be allowed access to state government:

As someone with an organization that routinely films political activity in the state for the benefit of our members, I try to gain access wherever I can. But I don't purport that I'm speaking for new media advocates when I'm asked to move to the gallery. Instead, I'd rather leave that space and make the case for new media that's reporting for general public interest rather than an organizational view.

Obviously, we disagree with Rice Hawkin's line in the sand. We would prefer to be judged by the quality our of work at the Josiah Bartlett Center and at NH Watchdog. At a time when traditional media organizations are cutting back on State House coverage, we are stepping in to fill the gap. The First Amendment has no requirement that the press have no opinions. We prefer to let people know that we are in favor of free markets and smaller government, and let our coverage speak for itself.

Grant Bosse on the radio

NH Watchdog's Grant Bosse will be on WNTK's morning show at 7:50 to discuss new media at the NH State House.

Listen live to WNTK.

Kicked Out of NH Senate

Here's a video report from Josiah Bartlett Center reporter Grant Bosse, who was kicked off the Senate floor when trying to cover the state budget:

Kicked Out Update- No Comment

The Senate is in a short recess, and both Republicans and Democrats are caucusing, as they begin debate of HB2.

When asked why internet reporter James Pindell was given floor privileges, while internet reporter Grant Bosse was denied them, Senate Communications Director Anne Saunders declined to comment.

"I'm not a spokesperson for the Senate, and we're not going to resolve this today," Saunders said.

Kicked Out Update- New Media Strikes Back

I'll be guest-hosting WEMJ's "Meet the New Press" this saturday from 9-11am, and will be discussing among other state issues, the new press.

You can listen live to "Meet the New Press" at 1490am in the Lakes Region or with streaming audio at the link.