Maine newspapers aren't dead yet

Some of the good newspaper reporting here in Maine has not gone unnoticed. Congratulations to the Advertiser-Democrat.Here's my confession. I sometimes dance on the grave of newspapers. In this age of internet-fueled news, I take perverse pleasure seeing a paltry selection of local stories in the paper, and then indignantly saying, "I gotta pay a buck twenty-five for THIS?" I don't know why I do this, I just do.

But take note --- there are still signs of life in some Maine newspapers. The Advertiser-Democrat (reporter Matt Hongoltz-Hetling and editor A.M Sheehan) have just won a George Polk Award for Local Reporting. And The Forecaster papers, directed by Mo Mehlsak, one of the best newspaper editors in northern New England, won an award for Investigative Reporting last fall. Recently I've also seen some excellent pieces (by that I mean lengthy and detailed) by Scott Thistle at the Sun Journal, and business reporter Matt Wickenheiser at the Bangor Daily News.

It looks to me like these folks and a few others are setting the standard. As Maine newspapers continue to struggle in the new information age, at least they have a few good examples to emulate.

Comments

[Pattie Reaves]

I may be biased, but I agree. :) I'm glad I get a chance to work with such great journalists!

[Mark Robinson]

I'll make sure to keep reading!