I love to read the newspaper, even if I am travelling I will read the local newspaper and try to see what is happening. I could read online as well but I like a hard-copy.
With my favorite Canadian newspaper announcing a paywall coming soon I am starting to wonder what will a newspaper look like in 5 years – never mind a decade.
[quote]The Washington Post Company’s newspaper division has lost money in 13 of the last 15 quarters. Total loss over that period: $412m. The latest quarterly figures reveal a $23m loss and a 7% drop in revenue. Indeed, revenue has now slithered down in 20 of the last 22 quarterly returns.
Last year’s annual figures show it at $314m, a third less than in 2006. Print advertising has shrivelled by 53% in that period. As for digital ad revenue, and supposed salvation, that’s down too – by 8% in the new returns. Amazingly, it too has slipped back over the past five years.[/quote]
In a way to generate revenue differently, the Washington Post has pushed up its print cover price by 76% in the last five years, losing nearly 30% of its circulation in the process.
I believe that the newspaper should not alienate either audience.
What I don’t like about the newspaper business is that no audience profile is done – when a transaction is done on a purchase the newspaper has no clue about the reader!
3 Comments
The newspaper is definitely on industry that is going to have to learn to properly adapt to the times. As tablet computers and smart phones becoming more and more popular, things are going to shift even more to online formats. If they’re not properly taking advantage of those mediums, their time may be short-lived.
I like reading the newspaper too, but when I cut my budget I decided to drop the subscription. I also found that I was wasting my time making a point of reading too many of the newspaper articles.
I find it a bit sad that today’s young people will spend Sunday mornings relaxing with a smartphone or e-reader instead of the physical and massive New York Times (for example).
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