Can a nonprofit big time citywide newspaper really work? Are there that many institutional and individual funders willing to financially support such an acquisition and after that, operation? Will THE news be any different than when operated by a for-profit?
These and more questions may be answered if one of the bidders for the Boston Globe is selected to purchase the paper from the New York Times.
As you may know, the Boston Globe is in serious trouble and dragging its owner, the New York Times, down with it (so says the New York Times). So, one of the bidders for the paper (and an original owner too) has to raise some millions of dollars and then figure out a philanthropic business plan to essentially, change the tides of running a newspaper. For Boston's sake and the paper's employees, I would like to think this plan has some plausibility, but given the philanthropic economy, I certainly don't see the options.
Here's one version of the story: NewsDaily.com.