For journalism (and journalists) to survive these currently trying times, there needs to be a unique voice which can overcome the din of millions of other identical voices. It is not only an issue confronting small publishers, but huge brands. In an era when readers are accustom to information being "free," there needs to be a voice explaining the basic facts available everywhere in a unique way. This is why opinion sites are doing well at a time when even the New York Times is laying off staff.

The additional issue needing attention is that while news "writers" are a dime-a-dozen, journalism on the Internet is rare. The old ploy of regurgitating an original news report, offering a link back, and expecting an audience is quickly coming to an end. That even further expands the gulf between journalism and aggregators. It can't be stressed enough that a unique voice is needed in this business now. That could be covering every aspect of WordPress developers to the point where you "own" that segment and become an authority. It could also mean just picking up the phone (or your email app) and getting an original quote or a bit of news which no one else is offering. However, just as the days of general journalism is dying and being replaced by the Atlantic's Quartz or The Verge, general WordPress news can no longer survive.