Joe Mathewson of the Medill School at Northwestern University makes an argument in Editor & Publisher for U.S. newspapers shifting to a non-profit model, either through the donation of shares to a foundation or having a foundation buy the paper and repay debt through revenue.
All the while the U.S. taxman is making life easier.
Matthewson said the new paper should be free, with a generous online presence, and patterned on the St. Petersburg Times model under the Poynter foundation.
The argument is bound to gain greater attention in the year ahead, when it's expected some major U.S. newspapers will face creditor pressure and require financial restructuring to make ends meet. In Canada and Europe, the challenges are not nearly as pressing.
