The authors concluded that papers devoting a proportionately larger part of their newshole to covering civic and community issues had a growing base of readers. Newspapers that relied increasingly on crime coverage had a diminishing reader base. Obviously we still need to cover the criminal justice system. One possible solution, based on the research on circulation, is to transform crime coverage into community coverage. One obvious solution is to look at our beat structure.
Nothing determines the quantity of coverage as much as dedicating a reporter to that coverage.
Perhaps the traditional cop reporter has outlived his or her usefulness. The Statesman Journal at Salem, Ore., is trying that approach by moving some crime reporting back to regional reporters in an attempt to get better balance. The newspaper retains its city cop beat, however. Perhaps we need to think about covering victims as a beat. We certainly need more in-depth examination of anecdotal events.