Key Metrics
14.07
Heat Index-
Impact LevelMedium
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Scope LevelLocal
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Last Update2025-08-03
Key Impacts
Negative Impacts (8)
Event Overview
The transition of the Portland Press Herald to new ownership has sparked concerns over the preservation of journalistic integrity and editorial independence. Critics argue that the National Trust for Local News may be prioritizing operational efficiency over traditional reporting standards, reflecting broader tensions in the media industry as legacy outlets adapt to changing financial and ownership models. This situation highlights the challenges local journalism faces in maintaining public trust while navigating shifts in management and corporate ethos.
Collect Records
Former Portland Press Herald Editor Criticizes New Ownership Over Journalistic Standards
Cliff Schechtman, who served as the editor of the Portland Press Herald from 2012 to 2021, has publicly criticized the current state of the newspaper following recent changes in ownership. Schechtman is quoted in an analysis by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism’s Local News Initiative, where he expresses disappointment in the newspaper’s direction under the National Trust for Local News.
Schechtman stated, "I'm simply embarrassed by what the Press Herald has become. The standards have dropped dramatically, and the productivity is a shadow of what it was." This criticism comes after the National Trust for Local News, a Colorado-based nonprofit, acquired several Maine newspapers including the Press Herald in 2023. Since the acquisition, the trust has laid off nearly 50 staff members and has reduced printing operations at several smaller weekly newspapers.
The article also includes commentary from Tom Wiley, the new CEO of the National Trust for Local News, who has been in the position for only a few months. Wiley questioned whether his predecessor, Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, expanded the trust’s portfolio too quickly by acquiring too many newspapers: "It's easy to Monday morning quarterback it," Wiley said. "It's easy for me to say Elizabeth overstretched, but the real answer to that is maybe."
Schechtman and other industry veterans quoted in the analysis argue that the Press Herald is now prioritizing stories with high web traffic potential over traditional watchdog journalism. According to the article, the paper has not regained its former reputation for rigorous local reporting following multiple ownership changes.
The criticisms outlined by Schechtman highlight ongoing challenges in Maine’s local journalism, particularly following significant staffing reductions and strategic shifts by the National Trust for Local News.