Outsourcing Local News

You may have heard about the Pasadena newspaper that outsourced it's local reporting - hired people in India to write about city council meetings, local schools, etc. for about $7.50/1,000 words. Maureen Dowd checks in on the publisher to see how they're doing and it sounds like they're doing pretty well. I think it's sad and hope that this isn't the inevitable future.

Then, you wonder how a "reporter" who writes emails like this can write for a local newspaper:

“I try to do my best, which need not necessarily be correct always,” she wrote back. “Regarding Rose Bowl, my first thought was it was related to some food event but then found that is related to Sports field.”