Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

The times are bad for newspaper publications across the US. With falling advertisements, the main source of revenues for all print media, cutbacks on key journalistic staff and even bankruptcies are becoming commonplace. Indeed these are desperate times if you are in the newspaper business.

In these desperate times, today's story about LA Times running a fake ad on the front page of the newspaper raises an interesting debate.

Traditionally, front page of the newspapers, devoid of any advertisements, have been reserved for the most important news of the day. Critics, even staff of LA Times, have come out opposing the front page ad, calling it an incalculable damage to the institution just to raise some quick cash. But defenders say, if selling front page advertisement can raise much needed money which will result in the newspapers not having to cut back staff, why not do it. After all newspaper is also a business which needs to survive and retain the best of talent.

So was the LA Times right in selling its prime spot for advertisement to generate some much needed cash? Has the front page ad compromised the credibility and integrity of the newspaper? Would enough readers care about the ad more or the contents that the newspaper covers?

I think as long as LA Times does not compromise on the credible and informative news coverage, most readers would not even bother about the advertisement. They would take it in stride for what it is "A necessary evil".