With much ink spilled (and computer text typed) about the death of old media, Democratic senator Benjamin Cardin has introduced a bill which would allow newspapers to restructure and possibly regain some lost luster. Much akin to the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970, Cardin's bill could act as a life preserver for failing newspapers.

With many U.S. newspapers struggling to survive, a Democratic senator on Tuesday introduced a bill to help them by allowing newspaper companies to restructure as nonprofits with a variety of tax breaks...

...Cardin's Newspaper Revitalization Act would allow newspapers to operate as nonprofits for educational purposes under the U.S. tax code, giving them a similar status to public broadcasting companies.

Under this arrangement, newspapers would still be free to report on all issues, including political campaigns. But they would be prohibited from making political endorsements.

Advertising and subscription revenue would be tax exempt, and contributions to support news coverage or operations could be tax deductible.

Over the past few months, many newspapers have been forced to stop daily publication or stop publication entirely. Some of the papers:

*Seattle Post-Intelligencer
*Rocky Mountain News
*Baltimore Examiner
*San Francisco Chronicle

Last December the Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy protection. The Tribune Company owns numerous newspapers including The Baltimore Sun, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times. Those papers may be forced to cease operations as well.

Unlike the infotainment of much television "news", newspapers can be a very important aspect of society shining a light on our leaders and pointing out when the proverbial emperor has no clothes.

The Detroit Free Press uncovered the existence of more than 14,000 text messages exchanged between Kilpatrick and his chief of staff Christine Beatty. Those messages revealed the use of city funds to arrange romantic getaways, circumventing the bidding process to grant preferential treatment to friend and businessman Bobby Ferguson, among other things.

Two reporters for The Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, were responsible for investigating the first Watergate break-in and ensuing scandal including the Saturday Night Massacre.

On August 28, 2007, The Idaho Statesman ran an article about three allegations involving former Republican Senator Larry Craig's sexual conduct.

Personally, I think non-profit newspapers are a brilliant idea. Once the need for amassing large amounts of ad revenue is removed from the equation, newspapers can get back to real journalism. No more gossip and tabloid crap. No more mindless mouthpieces for the U.S. government. Real investigative journalism.

I hope some other senators step forward and support Cardin's bill (which currently has no co-sponsors) as this seems to be an original and possibly genius way to assist the old media without recourse to more giant financial bailouts.