By Shea Andersen
Anyone interested in the future of Seattle journalism, and journalism in general, owes it to themselves to head over to Crosscut Media to read about the transformation of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer from a daily newspaper to a web-only presence.
The paper went digital in 2009. Since then, it’s done what many a media outlet has done as it transforms to web-only media: It’s been trying to figure itself out.
Crosscut says it’s been a bumpy transition, and some staff have left after trying to weather the inevitable belt-tightening. Some, like the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist David Horsey, have left for other publications. Others, like Monica Guzman, have left to start their own media companies.
In the article, Guzman is quoted talking about the challenges of the transition: “We were going to be nimble, but we were going to figure this out. And then we were going to hire people back. That’s what you hoped for. You knew it was a stretch, but you had hope. I believed it then. Later, I wasn’t so sure.”
The City of Seattle and MOHAI recently collaborated to save the iconic P-I globe, above. Hearst Corporation, which owns the P-I, says it will stand by the news site.
Whatever the future, debate is heavy on the topic, and the comments thread on the Crosscut story reflects as much, drawing some former P-I staff in addition to other observers. Take a look.