Newspapers on the Rebound?

Newspapers on the Rebound?

Newspapers on the Rebound?

Not long ago,newspapers were seen as a dying breed. Admittedly, they have seen better days. Advertising is flagging and readers are moving formthe papers tothe Internet.The Federal Trade Commission set up sessions exploring how to safethe flagging newspaper industry. There was talk of state subsidy and of possibly turning them into some form of charitable corporations. In "TheVanishing Newspaper" (2004), Philip Meyer, predicts that in 2043, someone will be receivingthe final copy ofthe final newspaper. Yetthe demise ofthe newspaper could have been greatly exaggerated. Many are turning a profit again, admittedly a small profit, but that is certainly better thanthe nose dive they were experiencing not long ago.

But their survival has come at a steep price. These are notthe samenewspapers that we read a couple of years ago.Journalists and editors have takenthe brunt ofthe cuts asnewspapers have pared down. According tothe American Society of News 13,500 positions have been cut inthe last three years. An article inthe Economist points out that unlike papers in many other countries, Americannewspapers have traditionally relied heavilyon ad revenues. According tothe Economist: "Fully 87% of their [Americannewspapers] ad revenues came from advertising in 2008, according tothe OECD. In Japanthe proportion is 35%. Not surprisingly Japanesenewspapers are much more stable."

In central Europe some publishers had their most profitable first quarteron record. Brazil now boasts five tabloids and advertising has remained strong. Inthe U.S., some companies have had remarkable rebounds since mid 2009.

Although mostnewspapers have raised their prices, and cuts inthe cost of paper and inthe amount of paper being used have also helped, it isthe internal cuts and terminations that have ledthe way in publishing's survival ofthe fittest. Inthe U.S.,newspapersreacted tothe recession by cutting not with a scalpel, but with a butcher knife. From film and theatre reviewers, to science, business, reporters in nearly all fields feltthe cuts. This approach has reshapednewspapers as we know them. Most now relyonwire services orthe larger national outlets to supply them with much ofthe information and articleson music, film, food, health, cars, business, and foreign affairs. Withnewspapers now heavily relying so heavilyon the wire services for their coverage ofthe arts and business and foreign affairs, we are losing a great deal. We are left with a homogenized centralized view ofthe world. We have one or two voices where once there were many.

Newspapers are also morphing; learning fromthe net, many are becoming more specialized and niche focused. Most are concentrating more than everon giving readers what they want as opposed to offering a well rounded, vetted, journalistic view oftheworld, which also has its dangers. Yet,the upside is that, realizing that small papers have overall fared much better than large publications duringthe recession, many are once again becoming truly localnewspapers. An increaseon local news and events is a good thing. It is that approach that initially builtthe newspaper industry.

Copyright Anthony Mora 2010

For further information visit:

www.AnthonyMora.com

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