Word has it that CityBeat has just given the axe to their monthly columnists—including Ben Kaufman and Dan LaBotz—so they could save the $75 fee they used to pay.  This is sad news, when CityBeat is forced to follow suit of cutting interesting content so it can beef up ad revenue profits.  Is this another example of downtown office space being judged more important than keeping good writers on payroll?

I know The Cincinnati Beacon, Print Edition is a far cry from the details and production that goes into a weekly CityBeat, but my experiences with grassroots newspaper production have caused me to question some things.  Why, for example, do small and independent news agencies need downtown office space?  Why do they need any office space at all?  Couldn’t the same work be accomplished with wireless laptops and cellphones?  Does a reporter need a cubicle?  Why?  For prestige?  I think a reporter just needs something with which to type his or her stories!

I think CityBeat should break the mold for an established news organization—and instead of downsizing their writing staff to save costs, they should downsize their physical operating facilities.  Trade in desktop equipment for laptop equipment.  Get a free online voicemail number for incoming calls.  Streamline everything through online connectivity, and utilize hotspot locations to accomplish work.  Have department meetings on the second floor bridge at the library.  Meet the production team one morning each week over coffee.  Or, just buy everyone a headset and meet virtually at an online voice chatroom.

Probably, someone will have a reason why these ideas are impossible.  Someone will chime in with how the landscape of news has changed, or something.  But I am sad to see these voices lost from the City’s monthly news culture.

Naturally, we will happily offer them a spot at The Cincinnati Beacon, Print Edition.  Unfortunately, we can’t pay anyone for their work, though!

Oh, the slings and arrows of newsmaking…

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