Smart Bombs: As you like it

So what’s the real story behind a newspaper that has gone from a high of 164 newsroom workers to 108 or so when this latest round of layoffs is over? To get an objective look, it’s best to venture outside The Spokesman-Review, where critics have selflessly offered theories for why circulation has declined and advertising is flat. All would be fine if we:

Stopped being so liberal. Or so conservative.

Stopped publishing (fill in the blank). Started publishing (fill in the blank)

Stopped being so aggressive. Or timid.

Printed the real story on River Park Square. Or more upbeat news on downtown redevelopment.

Stopped kissing up to the wealthy. Or defending the poor.

Stopped offering opinions. Started advocating for change.

Made Internet content free. Paid more attention to lifelong subscribers.

Printed more arts coverage. Or more local news. Or national news. Or international news. Or sports. Or business. Or entertainment.

The common thread is that if the newspaper had reflected the wishes of critics, all of this pain could’ve been avoided. Now if we could just get readers to stop being so diverse.

Read it and weep. The truth is that newspapers are in decline worldwide, regardless of size, quality or content. Even the most responsive horse-and-buggy outfit could not compete once travelers fell in love with cars.

In 1950, 123 percent of households bought a paper (some purchased more than one). In 1990, it was 67 percent. In 2000, it was 53 percent. If readers find comfort in their pet theories for the decline, that’s fine. At least they’re readers.

Old reliable. Consultants have made a mint telling editors how to stop the decline. People are just too busy, they say, so give them shorter articles, breezier writing, flashier layouts, information boxes and more color. In short, be like TV. After two decades of that, the best readers are still those 65 years and older. Those who have time. Those who were least interested in those “responsive” touches that would woo younger readers.

Too bad all that expensive advice doesn’t come with a money-back guarantee.

We miss them. Layoffs are like death. There’s the untreatable pain of loss for those who have been laid off and for those who remain. The questions of “Why me? “Why them?” “Why us?” are met with unsatisfactory responses.

If it weren’t for layoffs, I wouldn’t be in Spokane. My wife was dumped by the Arizona Republic, where we both worked. Just before being jettisoned, she had received the company’s highest honor and had a stack of positive performance reviews. But she was among more than 60 journalists who got the ax.

Making sense of it is useless, but it’s only human to try.