The decline of print media continues to hit cartoonists hard, with no end in sight. In America, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans cut half of its news staff as they do away with a daily print edition and transition to the web. Longtime editorial cartoonist Steve Kelley was among those let go.

We also learned this week that Ed Stein is throwing in the towel on editorial cartooning. After losing his job at the Rocky Mountain News in 2009, he tells Michael Cavna of the Washington Post, "I have no idea how to make a living as an editorial cartoonist now.”

In his exit interview with Cavna, Stein leaves us some words of wisdom.

Having a political philosophy and point of view isn't enough. Don't illustrate the news. Draw about the issues behind the events, not the events themselves. Advocate for people, not politicians. Don't be an unpaid huckster for a political party. Resist the temptation to support their daily talking points. Constantly question your own motivation. Do your research. Know the facts and avoid the spin. Admit it when you're wrong. Don't be lazy; don't do what everyone else is doing. Support ideas, not ideologies.

I think this is good advice for anyone working in media, but particularly as we enter a presidential election where much of the news cycle revolves around contrived controversies and horserace coverage, and drawing about "the issues behind the events" is lost to the traffic-hungry news cycle.

-Matt Bors