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I heard lots of inspiring and informative remarks yesterday, but I can't get this one out of my head, from Geoff Gevalt, managing editor of the Gannett-owned Burlington Free Press: "We have 9 fewer people than in the year 2000 in our newsroom."

If it's troubling to read statistics about shrinking newsrooms in activist journals and on websites (and in stories in the alt. weekly), it's downright alarming to hear those trends confirmed by representatives from the state's largest media outlets. More from Gevalt: "In every news organization, you're seeing a huge decline in the number of people who are collecting information...investigative people are the first to get hit."

The comment came in response to a question, from a woman who asked, "what can we do to return to where we were 30 years ago, when newspapers produced solid, hard-hitting investigative reporting?" Gevalt, who struck me as being as disturbed by his answer as I was, said wearily, "convince the bean counters."

Here's how VPR reporter and Switchboard host, Bob Kinzel described the situation in the radio biz: "It's really shocking what's happened to the radio news industry in Vermont over the last 25 or so years," he said. He recalled a time when Vermont had 4 radio stations employing 3 people each to cover the news. Now, he pointed out, there's just 1 person for all 4 stations. "It's driven by the bottom line," he said.

Both Kinzel and Gevalt emphasized that in-depth news coverage isn't profitable, which is why we see less and less of it these days. Anthony Pollina, who was on the afternoon panel with them, pointed out that media consolidation is part of the problem. As big national media companies gobble up local outlets, they have less and less interest in providing news as a public service, and more interest in skewing their output toward entertainment. Kinzel noted that a third of all the radio stations in Vermont are owned by one company — Clear Channel. And they couldn't care less about local news.

I didn't hear any solutions to the declining news problem in the afternoon panel — probably because no one has one! — but I heard some encouraging comments in the morning session. At least about local news. All four of the panelists — Ross Connelly of the Hardwick Gazette, my editor and mentor Pamela Polston of Seven Days, Ethan Dezotelle of the County Courier, and Biddle Duke of the Stowe Reporter — work for, and in some cases, own independent newspapers. They're all locally owned.

It was clear from the conversation that they're all struggling, some more than others, but they seem vigorous and vital, really engaged in local issues. They all said they hear from their readers that they crave local news coverage. Ethan and Pamela also reported that their circulation is trending up rather than down. In case no one has noticed, Seven Days has ramped up its news coverage in the last two years.

I liked what Connelly said, comparing the news media to transportation infrastructure: "We're the back roads," he said. "the dirt roads, the country roads. You don't find that detailed coverage in the...interstate press." Of course, you won't find a lot of detailed national coverage in the local press, but the 4 morning panelists said they try whenever possible to localize big national issues.

Connelly said something else I liked a lot: "All people have a right to know what's going on in their communities." That's good for me to hear right now, as I'm faced with the daunting prospect of taking over my struggling local paper. Winooski desperately needs to keep their newspaper. Sometimes I wonder why I put so much effort into keeping it alive, and then I hear Ross Connelly say that people have a right to know, and it gives me the shivers. Someone has to take responsibility for keeping people informed. If not me, then who?

One last thing — I heard two editors, Duke and Emerson Lynn of the St. Albans Messanger talk about how they don't post their entire papers online because they lose money that way. Duke even announced that he will probably institute a paid subscription service on the website, effectively cutting off online access to a big chunk of the paper.

I think this is a mistake. I think these papers should look for a way to finance their websites that doesn't involve charging users for access. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I really believe that our communities are better off if we can get free and easy access to their online archives. I think it's smart for the papers, and in the best interest of the community. There has to be a way for websites to pay for themselves through advertising. And then if subscribers don't want to see ads, they pay for an online subscription.

Anyone with ideas about this issue should contact these guys ASAP. And compare their websites with the one Ethan Dezotelle has at the County Courier. Which one best serves its community? I ask because I think the answer's debatable.

Brian Brown, of iBurlington, has also posted his who's who report here. Thanks to Tyrone Shaw, JSC Journalism Professor (and guitarist for the Oleo Romeos!), and to Mike Schaefer at JSC Admissions for organizing the event.

If anybody knows how to do that "extended entry" thing on blogger, where you tease the post and hide the rest, please let me know.