Newseum’s close reflects industry change

You’re reading this, so you obviously appreciate newspapers.

The journalism business has been in a lengthy transition and downsizing. And now it’s hitting a related business, the Newseum, which announced Oct. 1 it would be closing its Washington, D.C., operations Dec. 31.

Opened in 2008, the Newseum has served as an homage to journalism, particularly print journalism, and promoted the tenets of free speech ever since.

The nonprofit’s founding partners are a star-studded list of industry heavyweights: The Annenberg Foundation, News Corp., Comcast, Hearst, The New York Times, Bloomberg, ABC News, NBC News, Time Warner … and others.

Media folks generally liked the Newseum because it showcased interesting exhibits from journalism’s history over its 15 galleries and theaters, such as showcasing Pulitzer Prize-winning photography from 1942 on, honoring those who reported on 9/11 — including a display of the broadcast antennae from the top of the World Trade Center — and remembering those whose died in pursuit of journalism.

It also recognized an array of front pages from the nation’s newspapers on a daily basis. Not to brag, but the Herald was cited numerous times for Page 1 excellence.

From the Newseum’s website: “The mission of the Newseum, located in Washington, D.C., is to increase public understanding of the importance of a free press and the First Amendment. Visitors experience the story of news, the role of a free press in major events in history, and how the core freedoms of the First Amendment — religion, speech, press, assembly and petition — apply to their lives.”

But like the business it touted, financial realities have forced change. In this case, the Newseum’s bold D.C. structure near the National Mall — built at an estimated cost of almost half a billion dollars — proved untenable. The nonprofit announced in January it was selling the impressive building at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW to Johns Hopkins University for $372.5 million. Johns Hopkins will repurpose the building over the next three years.

The Newseum existed in a simpler format and location before the gaudy structure was built and hosted millions of visitors. There’s no word yet on what will become of its impressive collection and materials, but we’re hopeful a suitable repository will be found. Journalism is important to America; we’re sad to see this iteration of the Newseum come to an end, but hopeful that this celebration of the industry will experience a rebirth down the road.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2oIIqXy