In a moment of crisis, the first thing most people do is turn on the news. TV and radio stations provide the public with important public health directives, while newspapers ask a lot of questions and lay them all out.
But even before the coronavirus outbreak, America lost over 7,800 journalism jobs in 2019 alone.
We don’t know yet how many of the 9 million people who’ve filed for unemployment in the last few weeks are journalists, but we do know that the Wisconsin State Journaland The Capital Times are furloughing reporters. Gannett, the parent company of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is also cutting salaries and staff.
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One of the hardest sectors hit by journalism cuts, before and after the coronavirus, are alternative newspapers like the Shepherd Express and On Milwaukee.
“Most of the weekly alternative newspapers across the country like the Shepherd have temporarily shifted from both a printed newspaper and a news website to just focusing on the website,” announced the Shepherd Express’ publisher and editor Louis Fortis online.
“The Shepherd has tried to continue to do both, but that is proving too difficult as many places, including venues where you pick up your Shepherd each week, have temporarily closed their doors.”
This marks the first time in its nearly four-decade-long history that the Shepherd Express stopped printing physical papers. Like other alt-weeklies, the publication depends on ad revenue from live event listings. Distribution mostly happens in bars and restaurants, now-shuttered under Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order.
“We’ve laid off some people, but we’ve been trying to keep all of the normal columns,” Fortis told WUWM.
Fortis said a challenge that’s existed since the 2008-2009 financial crisis is how to balance profitability with the public service that journalism provides. He’s been publisher of the Shepherd Express since 1997, so the coronavirus isn’t the first storm he's had to weather.
“I will make you a bet, that in one year from now, and two years from now, we will be around,” said Fortis.
During this pandemic, WUWM's Bubbler Talk is focusing on the coronavirus and its impact on the Milwaukee area. If you have a question, submit it below.
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