Comments on: Off Topic: Trouble Rocks Major Newspapers

By: Miguel

Miguel — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:33:21 +0000

I was actually talking about this today and believe google is the majro cause for their demise!

By: Yi-Tan Tech Community Call 216 - Boxee - « Yi-Tan Tech Call Summary Podcasts

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:34:43 +0000

[...] Boxee - For years we’ve heard threats of the demise of newspapers (whoa; that might be happening!) and TV. Is it TV’s [...]

By: Yi-Tan Tech Community Call 216 - Boxee - « Yi-Tan Weekly Technology Call Podcasts

Wed, 06 May 2009 08:57:52 +0000

[...] Boxee - For years we’ve heard threats of the demise of newspapers (whoa; that might be happening!) and TV. Is it TV’s [...]

By: Gadget Sleuth

Gadget Sleuth — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:13:22 +0000

None of this surprises me really…newspapers have been struggling for years now. I’ve predicted the end of most newspapers as we know them within 50 years (it will all move online), but heck, it may be even sooner.

By: Mitch Joel - Twist Image

Mitch Joel - Twist Image — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:27:20 +0000

To add to the mess, most local papers – the ones that should be able to thrive and really monetize – are being all but ignored by most mass media publishers. I believe hyper-local to be one of their only saving graces. Give people – in the their local communities – the news that’s important to them. Let them share that news, upload it, update it, comment, etc… These major companies are all-but ignoring their local paper properties to try and save the big, national brands. That strategy will further choke them in the long run.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:48:20 +0000

Sam Zell's interview in Portfolio Magazine (it's available online) is pretty interesting. He mentioned that Tribune ad sales staff were not paid for performance, said he didn't give a rip about Pulitzers and planned to focus on local info, since international, financial and other news was better online or on TV. He came across as somehow arrogant, humbled and confused, all at the same time.

It sounds like Tribune's properties would make money (for a while, anyway) if their debt was cut or wiped out.

By: austinandrew

austinandrew — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:32:29 +0000

So if a local newspaper in a non-competitive market goes under, what do you think will happen? In Austin there's only one paper. It's not a good one, but if provides better coverage of the city than any web site or TV news station.

I imagine a competitor would come in and at least try to create a web-based newspaper for the city, but web advertising still can't pull in the money that people foolishly spend on print advertising. Car dealers and mom & pops still don't get the web. I can't see a web-only city paper being able to keep qualified people on staff at reasonable salaries and make the economics work...but there has to be an opportunity in the fall out.

Again, I'm talking about local city news and not something that can be covered by a blog like this.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:52:26 +0000

That’s good news – the American newspaper model is broken, but won’t change until forced to…well, it looks like change is here — get people interested again, or go out of business.

By: ronald

ronald — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:34:32 +0000

You can put the Rocky Mountain News (Denver) on the list, they try to find a buyer buy mid Jan. or …