Turning the Watchdog into a Lapdog: Why the Proposed Newspaper Bailout is the Wrong Solution for a Failing Industry

Current economic conditions have hastened the decline of the American newspaper trade, creating an industry-wide crisis. Following decades of declining advertising revenue and circulation rates, the newspaper industry has plunged into a historic downturn. In search of salvation for the American newspaper, some legislators and scholars have called upon the government to bail out the newspaper industry. This Note will explore the decline of the American newspaper industry, and examine proposals for government intervention to revive America’s newspapers.

Although the industry crisis will not abate without action, this Note will conclude that governmental support would ultimately harm newspapers. Instead of reliance on a government bailout, this Note proposes that newspaper enterprises pursue intra-industry solutions to remedy the crisis.