There’s no word from the White House on what help – if any – the president believes should be offered to the troubled newspaper industry.
After President Obama spent hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars on banks, insurance giants and auto companies, Les Kinsolving, WND’s correspondent at the White House, wanted to know Obama’s perspective on financial help for the ailing newspaper industry.
Major newspapers in Denver and Seattle have closed down in recent days, and other giants of the industry are in tight financial spots.
At today’s news briefing, Kinsolving wanted to ask: “Sen. (Benjamin) Cardin introduced the Newspaper Revitalization Act to allow newspapers to re-identify themselves as nonprofits but providing none of them with some of the $400 million a year which goes to public broadcasting and National Public Radio. Why does the president believe it is fair to so clearly subsidize public broadcasting but not newspapers?”
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, however, did not allow Kinsolving to ask a question.
He did address Kinsolving at one point, telling him, “You asked me a question Thursday.”
To which Kinsolving responded, “That was last week.”
Cardin, a Democrat, said he believes newspapers should have the option of being non-profits.
Cardin indicated his plan is aimed at preserving local and community newspapers, not conglomerates. His bill would also let a non-profit buy newspapers owned by a conglomerate.
“The economy has caused an immediate problem, but the business model for newspapers, based on circulation and advertising revenue, is broken, and that is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy,” he suggested.
Gibbs did allow one network reporter among the 56 present to ask eight questions.
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