A piece published by the Knight Foundation points out that many communities promote the idea of "buying local" and "shopping local" to help support small businesses that are challenged by big box stores and online outlets.
The author, Mark Glaser, said communities should support their local publications the same as any other local business. He also said publishers should get creative with their ownership structures to stave off buyouts from hedge fund owners.
Glaser is described at the end of the piece as a consultant and advisor with a focus on supporting local and independent news in America.
He emphasized each community is different, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all model for each local news outlet.
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
