I love newspapers, but I’m not sure if that’s always returned. As a journalist friend put it, quoting a popular song in discussing The Solomon Scandals, “Sometimes when we touch, the honesty’s too much.” Whatever the case, it’s sad to hear of the passing of Editor & Publisher, the bible of the newspaper trade—begun 108 years ago. More lost jobs. And no E&P review of Scandals for sure. RIP, E&P. Wikipedia has already turned the E&P entry into an obit.

Thought: Maybe the problem with the newspaper business is exactly what I wrote: “The honesty’s too much.” I’m talking here about the honesty of the Internet—the willingness to write up so much that newspapers can’t or won’t. The Net has its flaws, liars can lie away with near impunity in most cases, and cash-strapped blogs don’t have bureaus in Bagdad. But at least with grassroots media on the Net, no billionaire owners are looking over the shoulders of the writers. Of course, long before the rise of the Net, some newspapers were fading—done in by their smugness and trends such as fewer blue collar workers to buy those afternoon editions.

Update, December 16: I’ll not count on a review, online or off; but I’m pleased to say there will at least be a January issue of E&P. And maybe a rescuer? Would that the headline of this post end up being obsolete!

Related: Scandals and the Internet—or lack of it.