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Submission + - Explaining the Lack of Quality Journalism In the Internet Age 1

Submitted by schnell
schnell writes: While many lament the seeming lack of quality in-depth journalism today, a Gawker article argues that the inescapable problem is that you need a paying (in some form) audience (of a large enough size) to do it. There are plenty of free "news" sources to be found online, especially blogs simply regurgitating and putting a spin on wire news reports. But as the article notes, "The audience for quality prestige content is small. Even smaller than the actual output of quality prestige content, which itself is smaller than most media outlets like to imagine." Even highly respected news sources like the New York Times are resorting to wine clubs and the Washington Post is giving free subscriptions to Amazon Prime members to drive more corporate synergy and revenue. Rich parent companies are giving up on boutique high-quality niche journalism projects like ESPN's Grantland and Al Jazeera America because there simply aren't enough TV viewers/online ad clickers to pay the bills. So how do we reconcile our collectively stated desire for high quality journalism with our (seeming) collective unwillingness to pay for it?

Submission + - Netflix decides to stomp out VPN users (netflix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Netflix have announced they'll be taking further steps to ensure users are not circumventing geo-restrictions. David Fullagar, Vice President of Content Delivery and Architecture at Netflix says "Some members use proxies or “unblockers” to access titles available outside their territory. To address this, we employ the same or similar measures other firms do. This technology continues to evolve and we are evolving with it. That means in coming weeks, those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are."

Submission + - NASA awards Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser an ISS commercial resupply contract (examiner.com)

Submitted by MarkWhittington
MarkWhittington writes: The Verge reported that NASA has awarded the second round of contracts for the commercial resupply program. Two companies, SpaceX, and Orbital Sciences, which have been hauling cargo to the International Space Station in the first phase of the program, will receive contracts to fly at least six flights each to the ISS through 2024, the anticipated end of operations year for the space station. But Sierra Nevada has also gotten a six flight commitment, using a cargo version of its Dream Chaser spacecraft.

Comment walking to school (Score 1) 784

by jkister (#48832253) Attached to: Parents Investigated For Neglect For Letting Kids Walk Home Alone
I wonder how far their school district makes children walk when they live close to the school. In my district, any child in 1st-12th grade who lives within 1.5 miles of their school does not get a bus. it is quite normal for a 10 and 6 year old brother+sister to walk to school in that range. I live in a normal suburb outside Philadelphia.

Comment Getting people in the door (Score 1) 547

by jkister (#42024703) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: How To Make a DVD-Rental Store More Relevant?
I don't go to rental places. mostly because it's inconvenience with no benefit over downloading. perhaps he can build an awesome "home theater" in his store that is not as good as a real theater but better than what most folks can afford at home. have enough seats for a family and charge $25/film. dunno if that small revenue would fix the issue, but it gets bodies in the door.

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"Irrationality is the square root of all evil" -- Douglas Hofstadter

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