OK, I know many are happy to think of News Corp going out the back door, but... as a punter, this is not what is happening, so if you could please hold your glee as it is not that simple.

*girds me loins* thread incoming https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/may/28/news-corp-announces-end-of-nearly-100-australian-print-newspapers-in-huge-shift-to-digital

I get the immediate reaction of glee seeing News Corp cut back so much, but... it is not the ilk of Bolt, Devine, Kelly etc etc who will be punted. They will still be given their pulpits to spread their odious views that do so much damage to discourse in Australia.

The mainstays of the News Corp Deathstar (stolen off @JohnBirmingham ) will still be out there cheerleading for the LNP government and spreading their bile.

Of course blaming social media for crook discourse, never once wondering where punters get that crap from

anyhoo...

News Corp is the biggest commercial media in the nation. Yes that means they cause the most damage, but it also means they employ the most in this industry.

Hundreds, if not more are likely to lose jobs.

Again, it won't be the Bolts & Devines

It is the Regional papers in particular that are going to be hit hard here.

In my region, this means, Fraser Coast Chronicle, Gympie Times and Sunshine Coast Daily. The ONLY papers we really have.

Many can't afford online subscriptions and rely on picking up the paper.

Yes, I have had my issues with some Editors of these papers over the years, particularly their support for the LNP which in my opinion hurts our region. It has made it rusted on LNP so we get taken for granted & get nothing if LNP in power and nothing obviously if ALP in SIGH!

Again... that is just the Editors.

The vast majority of journalists who work for these papers are great. They work really hard, keep an eye on council decisions, let us know when there is a massive prang on the Bruce and show us footage of local happenings.

They deserve better.

These are people, in regional areas that will no longer have jobs. Who have worked hard, have mortgages, rent to pay etc., so think of them when you are dancing on their graves.

All of us have worked for shitty bosses, doesn't mean we did not do good jobs.

I can't speak for other areas, but for most of Queensland the regional papers are News Corp. When they took over a few years we already saw them cut down local news to have more nationally syndicated crap - that you could find elsewhere.

But at least still had local news.

And you can't just say, "well, that is what ABC is for..." because it isn't.

ABC in recent years has also cut back on regional staff. They tend to do more 'Queensland wide' stuff, which is really frustrating, half the time you turn it on & is coming from elsewhere

This means even less local news. I know most seem to only think that Sydney & Melbourne matters, but we in the regions do as well.

We care about a fire in our backyard, some kid winning some national comp, a local business going bust, a Councillor with a conflict of interest...

Without people easily having access to these local papers - and in older populations it will matter they are online only - we will get even less local news, stuff that really matters in communities.

People will still want to know what is going on though...

This means the likes of Facebook will have even more power. The likes of Karen who still pays for her bloody Australian subscription or Courier Mail sub will be spreading even more shite on Facebook.

If anything regional Australia needs LESS is more crap from Facebook

So even if you don't care about a lot of - probably younger - journalists, editors, those in the print gig, sales people, photographers etc., losing their jobs - and to be quite frank, you should!

You should care about even more Australians relying on Karen for their news.

Personally, I have known many fine journalists who have worked for News Corp over the years, particularly many locally, most have now gone on to other publications but their work should not be judged coz their boss happened to be the News Corp Deathstar.

Please Direct your ire to the News Corp Deathstar Overlords and their minions like Bolt, Devine, Kelly etc., not the poor staff in mostly regional papers who don't deserve the kick in the head when they are shitting themselves about paying rent/mortgage today

These poor buggers are also victims of News Corp. They are the ones most likely to lose their jobs - not to mention those currently studying who are losing opportunities of future jobs.

Regions are losing.

Odious twats & wealthy areas are not https://twitter.com/Paul_Karp/status/1265779391402926080?s=20