Rick Anderson on the rich life and untimely death of the Seattle P-I:
It was different after the P-I packed up its globe and moved to a new building on the waterfront in 1986. Newspapers were evolving—less fun, but more respectful work. No more would a beleaguered reporter likely need to drop acid to get through the day. (The one who did in the old P-I newsroom said the idea backfired: “I kept seeing two city editors!”)
I sometimes think that if newspaper work were less respectful the newspapers would be more interesting. However raffishness, acid, rye whiskey, etc., were not compatible with mid-century institutions making monopoly profits.