Reports are circulating that The New York Sun (at least the print edition) will shutter, as soon as next Monday (if not this fall). If the ‘Sun’ does go down, it will be a damn shame.
Launched in 2002, the conservative-leaning newspaper (70,000 circ.) has apparently been whipsawed by declining ad revenues and the generally lousy economy (housing and credit crises). As a lover of print, I bemoan the closure of any newspaper (and, rest assured, there will be other newspaper closures to come). But as a diehard New Yorker, the demise of the Sun is particularly upsetting.
The newspaper’s arts coverage — with deep dives into classical music, museums, galleries, antiques and movies — leaves no stone unturned for New Yorkers jonesing for intellectual stimulation. While The New York Times and the New York Post tend to traffic in arts-and-farts coverage for the hoi polloi, the Sun in its Arts+ column plugs much more obscure events in the music, literary and artistic precincts. I don’t know how many times I’ve been looking at a humdrum weekend (no, I’m not going to burn $12 on the latest piece of disposable crap from Hollywood) that was salvaged by a wonderful exhibit, reading or event I learned about in the Sun.
On the Sports pages, I always look forward to reading the latest takes on the NBA by columnists Martin Johnson and John Hollinger; Johnson has been particularly devastating at deconstructing that dysfunctional product called the New York Knicks.
The Sun’s Op-Ed pieces tilt hard right, but are not at all rabid. And I could always count on thought-provoking columns about the political scene by Nicholas Wapshott and Michael Barone.
It’s weird. With the ongoing mallification of New York City, the Big Apple is starting to resemble most every other metropolis. Part and parcel of that is having just one major daily newspaper. I suppose New York City is lucky to have — should the Sun go down — three major dailies remain (the Times, Post and New York Daily News).
Still, here’s hoping the Sun can find a white knight to rescue its print edition. If not, it’s onto the Web where, for better or worse, the future most likely resides for the rest of the newspaper industry.
