THE MODERATE VOICE STRONGLY SUPPORTS CARTOONISTS AND CARTOONING

These are hard times for editorial cartoonists, who are literally becoming a vanishing breed.

As traditional print newspapers have continued in what seems to be a death knell, cartoonists have been suffering and disappearing. When it’s time for budget cuts, guess who’s most at risk these days?

Although not quite yet in hospice, the centuries-long American tradition of using cartoons to express opinion through art and creativity is disappearing at an accelerating rate. Earlier this month the McClatchy newspaper chain axed three Pulitizer Prize winning cartoonists: Ohman of the Sacramento Bee, Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kevin Siers of the Charlotte Observer. Now Steve Breen, the Pulitizer Prize wining San Diego Union-Tribune cartoonist announced he’s leaving my old place of employment.

FYI Breen is leaving as the San Diego Union-Tribune has been sold again, and this sale has already culminated in a shocking exit of the already-downsized newspaper’s talent. Some folks have been given the boot. Others are taking buyouts before they’re in danger of being booted.

As a result of the situation facing cartoonists and cartooning, TMV will greatly increase the publication of cartoons. TMV runs cartoons from several different sources. One is Clay Jones, an award-winning cartoonist who was nationally syndicated and then turned to self-syndication. He does cartoons for CNN’s website and has been a guest cartoonist on The Washington Post. He also writes a great, edgy column with his cartoons.

So you’ll note the increase in daily cartoons. Editorial cartoonists MUST continue to be out there.

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