DISQUS

Jackie · 1 year ago

Selling other forms of online media doesn't mean that newspapers or newspaper websites are less valuable or not valuable. It means that marketing consultants for newspapers understand the need of their advertisers to be in more than one form of electronic media. They are facilitating an extended reach for the advertiser, not abandoning a product that still has plenty of audience and the trust of the reader.

Henry E Scott · 1 year ago

The buggy whip manufacturers of long ago went out of business with the arrival of cars because they didn't understand they were in the "acceleration business," not the "buggy whip business."

So newspapers don't seem to under that, from a commercial point of view, they are in the "audience aggregation business," and not the "new business."

True, news is used to aggregate an attractive and affluent, albeit aging and declining audience. But that's one of only many audiences newspapers could aggregate if they applied their brands, their sales forces, and their smarts to devising new products in forms other than print. Why, for example, are newspapers not selling the ads I see on the screen before a movie at my local theatre?

Digidave · 1 year ago

Not a bad idea Scott.

I've always said newspapers should be in the publishing industry. They have the presses. That still is one asset they have which hasn't become cheaper (printing in mass is still a tough job).

If they found a way to leverage that they could be the printers for local citizen journalism websites that want to go into print.

Matt Mantey · 1 year ago

There is absolutely a place for journalism, writing, editing and general content creation in a ad/marketing agency. Funny how when you are asked to do that for a particular brand or campaign you become a copywriter or art director. Not as much perceived nobility in those titles vs. journalist. Here the ad agencies thought they were going out of business . . .

Adam from PageRush · 1 year ago

Yeah, I think newspapers selling ads in online publications is a bad idea. It is a different business model, *too* different. I think newspapers should still aim to excel at journalism and just move that journalism online.

Rick Rochon · 1 year ago

Seriously, I couldn't agree more. Newspapers have tons of value for local businesses, but they are way out of line on pricing for their perfect customer. Fix your product, serve your customer and right yourselves.

Wes · 1 year ago

Scott, you write, "Newspaper companies could conceivably transform into local marketing services companies. ... But if that happens, will their business still be principally about newspapers?"

But didn't newspapers originate as a local marketing service? Yes, they informed and offered thought. And that service was valuable and sought by most people. And because that was sought by most people, advertisers could use the newspaper as a local marketing service. And newspaper's needed that money to stay afloat.

And so the necessary evil of newspaper advertising began. Editorial and advertising were always kept as separate departments to keep one from influencing the other. For that reason, advertising on the Op-Ed sections just isn't done. But without advertising revenue, newspapers can't sustain themselves.

So if a newspaper changes it's business model for selling ads, becoming a Media Buying Service, then what's the problem? The newspaper's just trying to find a new way to stay profitable so it can get back to the work journalists actually care about: journalism.

Wes · 1 year ago

PS Those are genuine questions, not backhanded passive-aggressive ramblings... but I think they came across that way.

John Logi · 1 year ago

Newspapers have 2 assets that can propel them into a future biz model;
1.) local sales teams that have roots into solid client bases
2.) reporting on a local level with voices that are credible
As national news becomes more and more of a commodity, newspapers should cash in on the local opportunity in both coverage and sales efforts. To add additional options into local marketing packages is wise. However the sales talent must have the capacity to "open" up to options and strategies that are beyond print and banner ads. This culture change may be the biggest hurdle.