And as investment in journalism declines, many journalists face real pressure trying to maintain quality. Newsroom cutbacks (2,200 newspaper jobs lost since 1990), changes in content and a focus on profits rather than innovation raise serious questions about the long-term health of the industry.
“How long can news organizations keep increasing what they charge advertisers to reach a smaller audience?” the report asks. “If they maintain profits by cutting costs, social science research on the media suggests they will accelerate their audience loss.”