Starnet had its own online writing staff that produced original material. The bubble burst, the ISP was sold, and it moved to an attempt at a wholly ad-supported content business.

Variations on the Star’s model were more common than you’d think. Shovel-ware was and still is present in a lot of locations, but some tried big experiments when there was capital to fund it.

There is a common perception that the industry did nothing. If you look at the industry as a monolithic whole, sure. But across that vast body there were a good deal of thoroughly inspiring and unsuccessful experiments.

I’ve been pretty critical of newspapers on my myself. Like here for instance: http://www.digitaltonto.com/2010/how-to-save-newspapers/

However, I do think that what a lot of people miss is that newspapers have had a much harder time than other media. Their previous model depended heavily on classifieds which have been the focus of digital disruption. Hype notwithstanding, other media haven’t really been hit very hard at all, while newspapers have born the brunt.

- Greg

Respectfully, I don’t think the line of inquiry is valid. The question isn’t whether big companies can be more innovative than the marketplace (they can’t). When you’re actually running a business, you spend most of your time and energy trying to compete and make money.

At any given time, there are a plethora of ideas inside and outside of your organization and your industry. The vast majority either won’t make money or won’t scale fast enough to expend resources on (i.e. the innovator’s dilemma). You can only pursue a few ideas at a time.

That means, of course, that sometimes you’re going to be blindsided by something that emerges very quickly. The best you can do is react as wisely and as quickly as possible to a rapidly changing context.

It seems to me that is what the NY times is doing. No one company can out-innovate the marketplace, nor should anyone try. Sometimes you’ll get lucky with an initiative, but usually you’re just trying to keep up.

I know that doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s the reality of running a large scale business and being responsible for the welfare of people that work for you. VC’s can afford to bet on ten longshots in the hopes that a few will pay off big. Operational managers can’t.

- Greg

A lot of newspapers were way more forward thinking at the outset of the web than other media outlets. Local TV News has been much more of a luddite contingent in this space than newspapers.

The NY Times, Matt’s example, is in general a very progressive digital outfit as far as “traditional” media is concerned. Their ad model is a little more conservative, but that’s probably because they don’t feel as much price pressure on their display business due to their premium brand.

I have ZERO loyalty to groupon. Groupon isn’t very impressive really. There are many copy cats out there that I have no problem soliciting as long as they have as good as or better offers.

Alternatively, and what most likely is happening, is that the same type of demographic that goes on groupon will/is going onto all of the other deal sites as well – simultaneously…

The groupon brand in itself isn’t that powerful, its just that its new and they advertise like crazy…