tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10178279.post112796177322249899..comments2024-03-28T05:13:13.921-04:00Comments on Books, Inq. — The Epilogue: Changing times ...Frank Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410473158808750903noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10178279.post-1128176218481297182005-10-01T10:16:00.000-04:002005-10-01T10:16:00.000-04:00I pretty much agree with Duffy about papers' tryin...I pretty much agree with Duffy about papers' trying to compete on national and international news. In fact, I don't even think the cable news channels can compete with the Internet if you are actually interested in finding out what's going on nationally and internatioanlly. Why listen to what some anchor reports about United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, when you can click it online and read it yourself? (This presumes you really want to get at the facts of the matter.)<BR/>But I also agree with David that, to attract readers, a newspaper should have unique content. Of course, like it or not, the future of newspapers is online. The paper version, I think, will survive as a digest for commuters and as something like the the TV guide for homeowners -- a leg up for knowing what to look for online (though the people putting that out would have to be really plugged in and impartial -- if you asked most reporters now to do something like that, they'd tell you to click on the online equivalent of NPR or, worse, Daily Kos).Frank Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18410473158808750903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10178279.post-1128109842141065762005-09-30T15:50:00.000-04:002005-09-30T15:50:00.000-04:00The reason revenue is down is because readership i...The reason revenue is down is because readership is down. If papers had more eyeballs on them, obviously they could charge more for ads.<BR/><BR/>Hell, I write for a bunch of newspapers, but I seldom read them. (Not the physical product, anyway. I do read them online sometimes.)<BR/><BR/>The content just doesn't seem relevant to me most of the time. The only reason we get the Washington Post (and even then only on Sundays) is for the coupons.<BR/><BR/>I don't know what the solution is, other than the general one of offering content that can't be found elsewhere. If a newspaper can't distinguish itself as a source of unique content, why would anyone read it?David J. Montgomeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659378437791125292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10178279.post-1128092452625966092005-09-30T11:00:00.000-04:002005-09-30T11:00:00.000-04:00I gotta say I think it's more than that. I think ...I gotta say I think it's more than that. I think this is really about revenue. Craigslist and the like have been killing classfied ad revenues. Likewise ads for movies are dropping too. In my never humble opinion, local papers make a grave error by trying to compete with national papers for national or world news. Stay local, you'll dominate and people take an interest. Combine these problems with an immediate, 24 hr news cycle and anything that makes it into the paper is old news by the time it's put on the truck.The Last Ephorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10546829944086243794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10178279.post-1127967589762154852005-09-29T00:19:00.000-04:002005-09-29T00:19:00.000-04:00You're not one of the people offered the buyout of...You're not one of the people offered the buyout offer, are you, Frank? <BR/><BR/>I agree with your points about the newspaper industry. Not really anything to add.<BR/><BR/>I also agree that Tom DeLay won't be convicted. Unfortunately, it's not because I read the indictment or anything so well-informed as that. Simply, I'm a big cynic and I know a big muckety-muck like that won't even get a slap on the wrist.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03301077496668834657noreply@blogger.com