Advice from Seymour Hersh

Press-Telegram steward and reporter Joe Segura sent in the following:

During a visit to Long Beach State, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Seymour M. Hersh put a great part of the blame on the downfall of journalism nationally on the shoulders of corporate owners insisting on bigger profits.

The bigger the profits, the more butchering newspapers do in the newsroom.

"The problem is that newspapers are owned by corporations," he said, adding he knew of newspaper owners who "would look at 1 or 2 percent as a good enough profit." Now, he added, the profits corporations seek are in the 20 percent range.

Hersh said this in response to a question by former Press-Telegram publisher Mark Stevens, who ironically stood quietly by while the local newspaper had its ranks ravaged.


Later, while signing a copy of his book "Chain of Command", he told Southern California Media Guild/CWA Local 9400 steward Joe Segura that cuts in the newspaper industry are hurting the country's future — both on the national and local levels.
"It's terrible," he added. "It's becoming more difficult to keep on top of what's happening in local government, and that's not good."

Hersh signed a paperback copy of his book: "For the Press-Telegram staff – Please keep the faith, it's a great business."

* S-T note: Hersh, an investigative reporter based in Washington, DC, is a regular contributor to "The New Yorker" magazine.