Breaking News; What's black and white and red all over? A bloodied newspaper industry facing a shortage of buyers.(Feature)

Byline: Jonathan Marino

The shutdown of the New York Sun is not an isolated case. Newspapers in the US have been reduced to having to pinch pennies, as the print industry, as much as any other sector of the economy, is facing a downward spiral into an abyss of red ink. From the the newsrooms of Pulitzer-winning titans to a layout desk in Topeka, one question stands out above all else: how can this be fixed?

"We were told that there will be no more purchasing extra items at Staples for supplies and no more Styrofoam cups," said one Washington Post staffer, lamenting cutbacks. Instead, writers were told, be utilitarian: "Use mugs." The staffer didn't specify as to whether the mugs would be used for drinks or collections.

The story is the same at the New York Times, whose credit rating in the last week of October was lowered to junk status by Standard & Poor's. A senior staffer there indicated that yet another round of buyouts could be forthcoming.

It goes …