This is not exactly a surprise, but it’s disappointing nonetheless.
Circulation is down, again, across the board at U.S. newspapers. According to the latest figures released this morning from the Audit Bureau of Circulation, overall daily circulation for the period ending September, 2008 was down 4.6%, and Sunday was down 4.8%
And these numbers were compiled before the financial panic of 2008. That will be taken into account in the numbers reported in March, 2009.
It’s time for creativity. Which major metro will transition to free distribution first? Who will convert to all-electronic? In any other business, this steady drumbeat of decline every six months would surely lead to a change in the gameplan that did more than redesign the packaging. Hint: A crisis gives you the cover to make bold moves, and this certainly qualifies as a crisis.
Mary says
October 28, 2008 at 11:47 amSeems to me we're still going down a backwards path on those questions. The Bluffton, S.C., paper just went from being free to costing a quarter, and the Times and plenty of other papers have recently raised prices to generate more revenue, despite knowing they'd lose customers. Don't we want more customers/readers and for that to continue to grow?
Quix says
November 1, 2008 at 12:46 pmThe reporters I know are eager to use new technology, even when the means to do so is on their own dime and time — like buying an iPhone, buying a digital camera, buying a videocam and setting up a personal blog. However, these reporters meet resistance and apathy among management. It goes like this:
Want to blog about your beat? Sorry, you need permission first. Permission? No, not at this time.
Want to shoot video and upload it? Sorry, you need to go to a class for two weeks on how to shoot video. What's that? You've got a flip video that practically shoots itself? Sorry, rules are rules. Want to sign up for those two weeks of training? Sorry, we can't spare you for two weeks because, as you know, you're now covering twice the beat you once did due to layoffs.
Want to have a meeting to discuss ways to make your reporting more interactive and relevant to readers? Put it in a memo and I'll get back to you. (Lather rinse repeat ad infinitum.)
Get the picture? What's going on? It seems management is determined to shove everyone into cattle car. But why?
Quix says
November 1, 2008 at 1:46 pmThe reporters I know are eager to use new technology, even when the means to do so is on their own dime and time — like buying an iPhone, buying a digital camera, buying a videocam and setting up a personal blog. However, these reporters meet resistance and apathy among management. It goes like this:
Want to blog about your beat? Sorry, you need permission first. Permission? No, not at this time.
Want to shoot video and upload it? Sorry, you need to go to a class for two weeks on how to shoot video. What's that? You've got a flip video that practically shoots itself? Sorry, rules are rules. Want to sign up for those two weeks of training? Sorry, we can't spare you for two weeks because, as you know, you're now covering twice the beat you once did due to layoffs.
Want to have a meeting to discuss ways to make your reporting more interactive and relevant to readers? Put it in a memo and I'll get back to you. (Lather rinse repeat ad infinitum.)
Get the picture? What's going on? It seems management is determined to shove everyone into cattle car. But why?
Quix says
November 1, 2008 at 6:46 pmThe reporters I know are eager to use new technology, even when the means to do so is on their own dime and time — like buying an iPhone, buying a digital camera, buying a videocam and setting up a personal blog. However, these reporters meet resistance and apathy among management. It goes like this:
Want to blog about your beat? Sorry, you need permission first. Permission? No, not at this time.
Want to shoot video and upload it? Sorry, you need to go to a class for two weeks on how to shoot video. What's that? You've got a flip video that practically shoots itself? Sorry, rules are rules. Want to sign up for those two weeks of training? Sorry, we can't spare you for two weeks because, as you know, you're now covering twice the beat you once did due to layoffs.
Want to have a meeting to discuss ways to make your reporting more interactive and relevant to readers? Put it in a memo and I'll get back to you. (Lather rinse repeat ad infinitum.)
Get the picture? What's going on? It seems management is determined to shove everyone into cattle car. But why?