READING Sad media news, and sad implications: The political web site PolitickerOR.com, which has sustained not only a site but also a paid on-ground political reporter in Oregon, is closing its in-state operations. The site will evidently remain on line; what that means in terms of content, we'll all find out. The reason is the usual - bad economic conditions.
This is a shame in part because the site has been developing independent political news in the state, as few (still) online public affairs sites have. (We've been eager readers of the site's morning RSS feed, as well as the main site.) The commitment of an actual paid human reporter is unusual. And it held the prospect for developing a business model that could sustain online-only journalism. Evidently, not easily and not yet.
Fingers crossed for the Washington site.