Which Way, L.A.?
Swine Flu, the Decline of Newspapers and the Chief of the LAPD
California newspapers are on the ropes. As they compete with themselves on the Internet, the New York Times may be covering local news in LA and San Francisco. We hear about that and the three insiders most likely to succeed LA Police Chief Bill Bratton. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, mixed messages about swine flu and the availability of H1N1 vaccine have led to confusion and unexpected public anxiety.
By Warren Olney • • 54m ListenNewspaper circulation is falling fast in California, just as it is nationwide. The papers' Internet sites are doing fine, but they can't make money. Will readers pay for information online? Is the only alternative less news? Also, Mayor Villaraigosa looks at three finalists to be chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, mixed messages about swine flu and the availability of H1N1 vaccine have led to confusion and unexpected public anxiety. We hear from parents, doctors and medical researchers.
Banner image: Freshly printed copies of the San Francisco Chronicle run through the printing press at one of the Chronicle's printing facilities. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesSwine Flu: Mixed Messages and Public Anxiety
This summer, Obama Administration officials said not to worry: there would be plenty of Swine Flu vaccine. The public didn't seem all that inclined to get vaccinated anyway. Now the second wave of the H1N1 Flu has arrived, but the vaccine is in short supply, and public anxiety is on the rise.
Read the story29 minThe Next Chief of the LAPD
Today, tomorrow and Monday, Mayor Villaraigosa will interview the three finalists to succeed Bill Bratton as Chief of the LAPD. Charlie Beck and Michel Moore are deputy chiefs. Jim McDonnell is Assistant Chief and Bratton's chief of staff. They were chosen by the police commission, headed by civil rights leader John Mack.
Read the story8 minThe Future of Newspapers in California
More and more Californians are getting their news on the Internet, which means they're getting for free what it costs newspapers a lot of money to gather and publish.
Read the story18 min
