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A Beacon Media, Inc. Publication
Go to RosemeadReader.com for Rosemead Specific News THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 - OCTOBER 30, 2019
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VOL. 8, NO. 42
MR. INTERNET, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL The absurdly ironic agony and ecstasy of digital news Opinion by
Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
T
he immortal words of Ronald Reagan "Tear down this wall," also known as the Berlin Wall Speech, was a speech the late President gave in West Berlin on Friday, June 12, 1987. The vernacular was consequential in its audacity, serving as one of the “signature moments during the final stages of the Cold War,” according to Britannica.com. Two years later, the Berlin Wall fell and a new chapter in freedom was written. In the eternal quest for news on our laptops or smartphones, consumers are incessantly assaulted with demands for money, if you want to read the overall story. While somewhat metaphorical, the digital paywall embodies a threat to a free press. The digital age, in which we attempt to thrive and survive, sees the cost for obtaining accurate, reliable information grow exponentially. Unparalleled, in modern times. Over the past 25 years, the onceprofitable newspaper industry has endured instability due to changing technologies and difficulties securing capital. Total U.S. daily newspaper circulation is estimated
The Washington Post, like the New York Times, also requires that readers subscribe to access articles. – Courtesy screenshot
to have dropped from 62 million weekday subscriptions in 1990 to 31 million in 2017, according to the Pew Research Center. Oh yes, one can get “news” from Facebook and Twitter—and any number of what I like to call “antisocial media” sites—that smack of “news” but heaven forbid you should
want to go to the old grey lady, The New York Times, on your rotary dial iPhone, you’ll be hard-pressed to read anything with that horrid and infuriating barricade the paywall. Being in the newspaper business for 35 years has taught me a thing or two. People still like to read. The thirst for news and honest dialog
will never die (no matter how many sites proclaim to be anything but diatribe). The irony of the digital subscription, to me, is more like a wishing well for publishers. The reader and the advertisers will never win. Simply, the paywall turns people off and digital advertising
ultimately suffers the wrath of reader rejection. We at Beacon Media, as with some of our colleagues in the industry, have decided that a free press is just that. We will never— fingers crossed—build a wall to keep people from reading our original, local news, sports and entertainment online. Presenting, local community news is expensive, yes. But the cost to the community is staggering if you consider charging people to read about city council’s latest decision(s) and declarations. If you’ll kindly indulge me and pardon the pun, paywalls simply don’t make cents. In a Forbes article on Aug. 1, the headline castigated greedy media moguls: “Why Paywalls Aren't Always the Answer For Newspapers.” The article reads in part: “Media outlets large and small have adopted digital paywalls to augment dramatic declines in print revenues, but given their negative effect on website traffic (and, in turn, online advertising), are paywalls an effective sales strategy? Read More on our Websites unde Opinion
LA SALLE SENIOR CAMILLE KENNEDY CROWNED 102ND ROSE QUEEN Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
A
standing room only, capacity crowd attended the coveted annual ritual that defines Pasadena: the Rose Queen selection and coronation for the upcoming Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1, 2020. After great deliberation, excitement and consultation, the Tournament of Roses named Camille Kennedy as the 102nd Rose Queen during an extended and elaborate ceremony. Kennedy is a senior at La Salle College Preparatory and lives in Pasadena.
2020 Tournament of Roses President Laura Farber made the proclamation which follows a month-long selection process with students from 45 Pasadena area schools participating in interviews. The Rose Queen and Royal Court were selected based upon a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, academic achievement, youth leadership, and community and school involvement. During the coronation ceremony, President Farber presented Rose Queen Camille with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds. The 2020 Rose Queen is currently a member of her school’s
drama/musical theater troupe and has been featured in three productions, including a lead role in the spring 2019 musical, "City of Angels." Kennedy is a member of the afterschool choral group and the Support Our Troops Club. She enjoys listening to music, performing in theater productions with friends, cooking, and hitting the gym with her dad. She plans to pursue a liberal arts degree in Japanese linguistics, social sciences, or culture and media studies. Read More at, PasadenaIndependent.com under Community
Moments after the announcement Tuesday, the Royal Court congratulates Camille Kennedy on becoming the 2020 Rose Queen. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News