Cartoonist John Pritchett took on the Advertiser layoffs in his editorial cartoon featured in this week’s Honolulu Weekly. It’s a caricature of ‘Tiser publisher Lee Webber wielding his budget axe. Click on the cartoon to get the full view.

I wish this caricature included a bit more context, perhaps the wrecked castles of newspapers past, the internet steamroller crushing the presses, the corporate masters of the newsroom propping up plunging stock prices.

When I contacted John for permission to use this image, he reminded me that his current (and archived) Weekly cartoons can be viewed at his web site.

Thanks to Larry Geller for this link to the podcast of Thursday’s “Town Square” about newspapers and their future, originally broadcast on Hawaii Public Radio.

The Sacramento Bee is kicking off a major redesign next week, with the change cming just after a dismal financial report this past week by its parent, McCatchy Company.

Revenues were down 15.6 percent to $489.7 million in Q2 compared to last year’s $580 million. And while online ad sales grew 12.5 percent in the quarter, since they made up only 11.8 percent of total ad dollars—compared to an 8.6 percent share for all of 2007—it was not enough to offset wider declines. In all, McClatchy’s ad revenue fell 16.8 percent to come in at $406.3 million. Meanwhile, Q2 net income from continuing operations was $20.1 million, or 24 cents per share, down by roughly 50 percent from last year’s $40 million.

It’s hard not to feel the gloom. But here’s some of what SacBee editor Melanie Sill told their staff in a memo in advance of the new look:

Truth is, plenty of people would like to see us go away. Some powerful people, in business and government, would welcome a break from public attention. Scam artists and crooks would celebrate the business opportunities presented by an uninformed public. Political opponents who don’t like The Bee’s editorial stance would hold parties, though I think they would miss us most of all.

Bad news for them. We’re not going away. In fact, our adversity is forcing us to consider what we do that’s most important and step up our efforts in accountability journalism. The proliferation of garbage information sources makes it even more important that we arm people with good information.

Journalism can’t just be as good as it used to be. It must be better, especially journalism done by institutions like The Bee that — relative to other information sources — are relatively rich in resources.

We have to do the best work of our careers. For ourselves and our profession’s survival, but also for all the journalists losing jobs, all our colleagues who want to keep doing this work badly enough to go it alone rather than change professions. This is, as we often say, our mission: to act as independent agents for the public interest, finding things out and informing the public. And this — more than just jobs or profits — is what is in danger as newspaper companies fight for secure footing.

Along similar positive lines, check out this post “Big Daddy Newspaper Has Gone and Left Journalism” on PressThink.

A friend called my attention to the death of UH music professor Allen Trubitt earlier this year and the web site created by his family to share memories of him.

In addition to his career contributions in the realm of music, Allen was known for his social conscience. I found this brief reference in an autobiographical piece by Robert Aitken, which places him in good company:

I have had a long association with peace and social justice movements in Hawai’i. I took part in the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace in 1952 with and Marion and John Kelly, an anti-nuclear protest, and the first of many demonstrations. During the Vietnam War as I was active as a resister and draft counselor, and was close to James Douglass, Walter Johnston, Oliver Lee, George Simpson, and Anita and Allen Trubitt.

A memorial service is planned for August 23, according to the web site.

A comment left several days ago suggested that another dog video is overdue.

So here’s a brief look at Ms. Moana. She’s a sweet little pit bull mix who just loves to see us coming towards her. It’s amazing how strong this little dog is. When walking on the beach, she’ll will see us coming and literally drag her person along as she races towards the morning dog biscuit. Unfortunately, I haven’t got a video of that scene. You’ll just have to settle for the less dramatic scene at home. Just click on the photo for her video.