The downsizing of the Newspaper Advertising Bureau has reduced available data on newspaper adv. Young people appear to be reading less. Might make newspapers value j-faculty more. I agree that much of the current research is silly. Depends on project.
Area is children and media.
If newspapers were interested in related issues, i.e., what predicts whether or not kids become newspaper readers, then I might be interested. Academics have their needs. So does the news profession. I too consider this a serious oversight on our parts. Our efforts might prevent such careless insensitive reporting in the future.