Comments on: The incredible shrinking newspaper http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/06/14/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/ by Jeff Jarvis Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:18:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Five Cents Ten Cents » Blog Archives » Panzer’s Friday Financial Feature - Roundup from Google RSS Feeds http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/06/14/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/#comment-385686 Five Cents Ten Cents » Blog Archives » Panzer’s Friday Financial Feature - Roundup from Google RSS Feeds Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:42:44 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3671#comment-385686 [...] about borrowing to invest only in things that go UP in value.  Buzzmachine talks about the decline of newspaper print advertising - telling us that the new media is the way to go for news/information/money.  [...] [...] about borrowing to invest only in things that go UP in value.  Buzzmachine talks about the decline of newspaper print advertising - telling us that the new media is the way to go for news/information/money.  [...]

]]> By: Newspapers May Be Dying, But Their Corpses Could Reduce Toxic Waste | Discoblog | Discover Magazine http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/06/14/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/#comment-378734 Newspapers May Be Dying, But Their Corpses Could Reduce Toxic Waste | Discoblog | Discover Magazine Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:01:51 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3671#comment-378734 [...] the onset of the new media explosion, the newspaper industry has been experiencing one of the slowest (and most discussed) demises in recent history. But according to new research [...] [...] the onset of the new media explosion, the newspaper industry has been experiencing one of the slowest (and most discussed) demises in recent history. But according to new research [...]

]]> By: LSDI : Se i giornalisti fanno lezione ai blogger http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/06/14/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/#comment-377583 LSDI : Se i giornalisti fanno lezione ai blogger Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:50:51 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3671#comment-377583 [...] dopo aver tagliato quanto più potevano (sindacalmente) fra i poligrafici, e mentre il 40% dei grandi giornali perdono soldi (Jeff Jarvis), e, ancora, mentre si comincia a dire che questa massa crescente di giornalisti che sono finiti per [...] [...] dopo aver tagliato quanto più potevano (sindacalmente) fra i poligrafici, e mentre il 40% dei grandi giornali perdono soldi (Jeff Jarvis), e, ancora, mentre si comincia a dire che questa massa crescente di giornalisti che sono finiti per [...]

]]> By: robertdfeinman http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/06/14/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/#comment-377377 robertdfeinman Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:59:34 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3671#comment-377377 It seems that when an old business model no longer works then it is time to consider a new one. I understand all the prodding about use of online media, interactivity and the like that is promoted on this site, but I think newspapers still fall into a different category. I see several unique features. 1. A daily print product 2. An expectation that they will "report" news not just retransmit it from elsewhere 3. An expectation that their articles will be better vetted than what is becoming the norm on more nimble sites 4. An expectation that these articles will remain as a permanent source of reference to maintain a history of the society. The business model has been to finance these tasks through the sale of advertising and revenue from the sale of the paper. Now every one of the features that I listed can be done without the use of paper and perhaps the improvement in ebooks will eliminate this aspect as well, but so far there are no online sites with the reputation of long running newspapers. So the weak link is the advertising. I have no idea what a newspaper operation would look like that didn't depend upon advertising, but I don't see anyone speculating on this either. The only obvious example we have is the BBC which is funded by a tax and doesn't have the printing expense. All the innovation these days is going into finding ways to deliver more ads to viewers and into making them more irresistible. Time for a bit of thinking outside the box I think. I understand this may not suit Jeff Jarvis's entrepreneurial mindset, but one size does not have to fit all. We do have non-profits operating along side for-profit firms in this word, sometimes even doing overlapping tasks. It seems the advertising model is getting pushed about as far as it can go. Doesn't it lose its impact when every square inch and second of the public space is covered with promotions? It seems that when an old business model no longer works then it is time to consider a new one.

I understand all the prodding about use of online media, interactivity and the like that is promoted on this site, but I think newspapers still fall into a different category.

I see several unique features.
1. A daily print product
2. An expectation that they will “report” news not just retransmit it from elsewhere
3. An expectation that their articles will be better vetted than what is becoming the norm on more nimble sites
4. An expectation that these articles will remain as a permanent source of reference to maintain a history of the society.

The business model has been to finance these tasks through the sale of advertising and revenue from the sale of the paper.

Now every one of the features that I listed can be done without the use of paper and perhaps the improvement in ebooks will eliminate this aspect as well, but so far there are no online sites with the reputation of long running newspapers.

So the weak link is the advertising. I have no idea what a newspaper operation would look like that didn’t depend upon advertising, but I don’t see anyone speculating on this either. The only obvious example we have is the BBC which is funded by a tax and doesn’t have the printing expense.

All the innovation these days is going into finding ways to deliver more ads to viewers and into making them more irresistible. Time for a bit of thinking outside the box I think.

I understand this may not suit Jeff Jarvis’s entrepreneurial mindset, but one size does not have to fit all. We do have non-profits operating along side for-profit firms in this word, sometimes even doing overlapping tasks.

It seems the advertising model is getting pushed about as far as it can go. Doesn’t it lose its impact when every square inch and second of the public space is covered with promotions?

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