This isn’t a case where people cut 13 out of the newspapers newsroom and add 13 on the interactive side. While it’s true that media organizations increased and built a web staff over the last few years, most of the time this was on pace with online revenue growth.

Now the new thing to do is cut back and layoff. Not retool or reorganize.

How do you save your way to prosperity? How do you save your way to prosperity when Silicon Valley startups are pouring millions in everyday starting new businesses that you should be investing in? Why aren’t the Scripps, Belos, Coxes, McClatchy’s, Gannett’s of the world not investing in more of these types of businesses instead of trying to build them in-house with the same crew who manages / maintenances the entire network of news websites.

This is where we are broken. And while Morton is waaaay off about a “perceived shift” (interesting that it’s perceived when there’s real numbers on paper to back it up), he’s right about the way media companies are behaving and that it could be suicidal for them in the end.

Media companies, incidentally that are run by guys who are 2-5 years away from retirement whom think if they can just ride it out for a couple more years, cash out and leave the problems for someone else to figure out.

Of course it’ll be too late then.