Comments on: Another newspaper prognostication http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/22/another-newspaper-prognostication/ by Jeff Jarvis Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:06:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mumblix Grumph http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/22/another-newspaper-prognostication/#comment-210339 Mumblix Grumph Fri, 24 Nov 2006 13:36:55 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=2229#comment-210339 Newspapers are a victim of their strident biases. If a new industry opened up in America (Under a Republican president) that made 100 million people prosperous, sexy and healthy enough to live to age 126, the New York Times would run this story: <i>A recent poll says that a small number of Americans are happy (only 98.2%), but what about those unfairly left behind? We will now devote the whole front page to Dullard McSlothful. Mr. McSlothful lost his job as a night watchman at Amalgamated Buggy Whip And Saddle. Mr. McSlothful was out of work for THREE ENTIRE DAYS! "They only offered me menial jobs like Chair Warmer, or Union Representative. How am I supposed to live on $86,000 a year? My medical copay is fifty cents a week! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?" The American dream is dead for the Dullard McSlothfuls of this world. and Republican lawmakers laugh as they grind the proletariat under the spiked heel of Capitalism. But there is hope, HOPE! Senator Hillary Boxerstein has introduced new legislation to modestly increase taxes 87% on those super-ultra-mega wealthy Americans, (those with vast incomes over $10,000). This legislation is being fought by a cabal of racist Republican male Chauvinists and filthy Jews in the pocket of Israel.</i> Yeah, thanks. I can't imagine why your readership is falling down faster than Paris Hilton at an open bar. Newspapers are a victim of their strident biases.

If a new industry opened up in America (Under a Republican president) that made 100 million people prosperous, sexy and healthy enough to live to age 126, the New York Times would run this story:

A recent poll says that a small number of Americans are happy (only 98.2%), but what about those unfairly left behind? We will now devote the whole front page to Dullard McSlothful.

Mr. McSlothful lost his job as a night watchman at Amalgamated Buggy Whip And Saddle. Mr. McSlothful was out of work for THREE ENTIRE DAYS!

“They only offered me menial jobs like Chair Warmer, or Union Representative. How am I supposed to live on $86,000 a year? My medical copay is fifty cents a week! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?”

The American dream is dead for the Dullard McSlothfuls of this world. and Republican lawmakers laugh as they grind the proletariat under the spiked heel of Capitalism.

But there is hope, HOPE! Senator Hillary Boxerstein has introduced new legislation to modestly increase taxes 87% on those super-ultra-mega wealthy Americans, (those with vast incomes over $10,000).

This legislation is being fought by a cabal of racist Republican male Chauvinists and filthy Jews in the pocket of Israel.

Yeah, thanks. I can’t imagine why your readership is falling down faster than Paris Hilton at an open bar.

]]> By: Rick Waghorn http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/22/another-newspaper-prognostication/#comment-210329 Rick Waghorn Fri, 24 Nov 2006 13:27:27 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=2229#comment-210329 "Go even further: incentivize the critics and reporters by allowing them to profit based on the popularity of their sites; make it worth their while to stick around...." That would be my only quibble with the whole piece; I've been there and had that debate... and as far as me and my 'brand' were concerned, if I'd hung around I'd have had to leave at least half my 'value' within the building. Nah. Fly solo - and if they still want it that bad, two years down the line they can talk to my syndication chief... “Go even further: incentivize the critics and reporters by allowing them to profit based on the popularity of their sites; make it worth their while to stick around….”

That would be my only quibble with the whole piece; I’ve been there and had that debate… and as far as me and my ‘brand’ were concerned, if I’d hung around I’d have had to leave at least half my ‘value’ within the building.

Nah. Fly solo - and if they still want it that bad, two years down the line they can talk to my syndication chief…

]]> By: Jon Sterling http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/22/another-newspaper-prognostication/#comment-208447 Jon Sterling Thu, 23 Nov 2006 03:01:54 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=2229#comment-208447 If every writer that works for a newspaper or magazine could easily figure out how to monetize and get traffic to their own blog or website – within days their income would be similar or maybe more and the publications would not be needed anymore. IMHO Causing the publication owners to rethink their profit center / business plan in a matter of seconds or minutes. Visions of people running out of a publishers building with their butts on fire! If every writer that works for a newspaper or magazine could easily figure out how to monetize and get traffic to their own blog or website – within days their income would be similar or maybe more and the publications would not be needed anymore. IMHO

Causing the publication owners to rethink their profit center / business plan in a matter of seconds or minutes.

Visions of people running out of a publishers building with their butts on fire!

]]> By: CaptiousNut http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/11/22/another-newspaper-prognostication/#comment-208443 CaptiousNut Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:52:38 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=2229#comment-208443 There may be some young, held back scribes that would thrive as bloggers or web journalists, but the tenured "prominent" ones will never make it. Most of them can't even right-click. Bill Simmons of ESPN is the best example of a young'un who we never would have heard of before the internet. He was buried at the Boston Herald behind inferior writers that are still there, and have been for 20 years. There may be some young, held back scribes that would thrive as bloggers or web journalists, but the tenured “prominent” ones will never make it. Most of them can’t even right-click.

Bill Simmons of ESPN is the best example of a young’un who we never would have heard of before the internet. He was buried at the Boston Herald behind inferior writers that are still there, and have been for 20 years.

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