Cutting the Classics

In a recent article, a New York Times writer reported that the jobs of classical music critics "have been eliminated, downgraded or redefined at newspapers in Atlanta, Minneapolis and elsewhere around the country and at New York magazine, where Peter G. Davis, one of the most respected voices of the craft, said he had been forced out after 26 years."

It was not so many years ago, that the major dailies did not stoop to reporting on rock and roll and pop music, and just reported on classical music with a little twist of jazz thrown in for a small measure of coolness. Now the tables have turned and it is a little sad to see the newspapers headed towards another extreme.

Is it just another example of bottom line, "what-sells" journalism, and the struggles of newspapers fighting to stay alive with younger readers? Or is there another force at work? I hope it is not the sign of dying newspapers taking classical music with it. Classical music deserves the exposure, just as rock did a few years earlier (possibly even more so). There is room for many forms of music in the news pages.

The article is at the following web address:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/09/arts/music/09crit.html?ref=arts