On the air for “Biz Talk with Roy Williams”

Tina Tidmore and Wade Kwon on “Biz Talk with Roy Williams”

Talk show host and reporter Roy Williams was kind enough to have me on his weekly radio show last week. He and writer Tina Tidmore occasionally talk journalism issues, and we all discussed freedom of the press for his special Independence Day episode (taped in advance).

If you missed “Biz Talk with Roy Williams” on Saturday, you can listen to it here.

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Or stream it as an audio file.

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We talk about issues affecting journalists and bloggers, and what differences remain between the two groups.

One of the last questions was on threats to freedom of the press. I managed to squeak in half of my answer, the first part being the ongoing need for a national shield law. The second part didn’t fit into the remaining time, so I’m including it here.

The biggest threat to freedom of the press is corporate consolidation of media. It has been a constricting factor throughout my years of working in corporate media. Simply put, you can’t cut your way to better coverage, or even long-term profitability.

It has affected journalism at every level throughout the United States, but Birmingham will be a case study for years to come. In the coming days, Alabama Media Group, the company formed from three state newspapers and al.com, will merge with NOLA Media Group to become Southeast Regional Media Group. Expect more layoffs and shoddier reporting.

Thanks to Roy for having me on the show!

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