Tampa Bay’s Shrunken Media Landscape: It Doesn’t Look Good
Tom and Janet Scherberger, former journalists and current talk-show hosts, discuss the history of Tampa newspapers and current state of affairs in journalism at the weekly Cafe Con Tampa at the Portico downtown.
In their presentation "Surveying Tampa Bay’s Shrunken Media Landscape," former journalists and current talkshow hosts Tom and Janet Scherberger spoke at this week’s Café con Tampa, discussing their journey as reporters and, more importantly, reviewing the history of journalism-primarily newspapers- in the Bay Area. Many current and former journalists in the audience agreed with the conclusion that there has been a decline in the quality and quantity of reporting not just in the Bay Area but globally. According to Tom, Tampa is the nation's largest media market without a daily newspaper. Given the connection between democracy and local news, it’s a sad commentary and does not purport well for the future of the Fourth Estate. Janet concludes that media hasn’t shrunken; it has shattered, leading to a big loss in both content and credibility.
Tom Scherberger reports that Tampa is the largest U.S. metropolitan area without a daily newspaper, and discusses current trends in journalism.
The couple suggests the best news sources these days are hybrids, including news aggregators like Axios. As with many journalists, Tom reported that his main source for both news and leads is the former Twitter, where up-to-the-minute breaking news is reported 24 hours a day. For hyper-local news, he recommends sources such as the app Nextdoor, which he likens to listening to neighbors talking across the fences of old-school backyards.
Janet Scherberger suggests that local journalism hasn’t shrunken, it has shattered.
The Scherbergers now host Wavemakers, a weekly call-in podcast radio show on WMNF 88.5 FM, airing conversations with guests who are making a difference in the Bay Area. It airs on Tuesdays from 11:00 am– 12:00 pm. If you are interested in state, local, and community issues, consider attending Café Con Tampa, which meets every Friday at the Portico downtown. Current and wanna-be government officials, Tampa’s movers and shakers, and neighborhood-concerned citizens are usually in attendance, and the floor is open for community announcements and respectful discourse for all.
Cafe Con Tampa is a weekly community get-together where community leaders, interested citizens, and movers and shakers meet. It is open to the public.