Newspapers

Monitor shifts from print to Web-based strategy

In 2009, the Monitor will become the first nationally circulated newspaper to replace its daily print edition with its website; the 100 year-old news organization will also offer subscribers weekly print and daily e-mail editions.

The changes at CSMonitor begin in April.

There are so many other newspapers that are closing or filing for bankruptcy protection. There are articles all over about the plight of newspapers in general and specifically:

1. How Newspapers Must Change to Survive at ABC News, March 13, 2009
2. Seattle Times still standing, but for how long?
3. Rocky Mountain News Publishes Final Edition (Feb 27)
4. Public Largely Unconcerned Over Fate Of Newspapers
5. Are Newspapers Doomed?
6. The 10 Most Endangered Newspapers in America
7. How to Save Your Newspaper

The 4th article is particularly interesting because it reports on a Pew Research poll that concluded that 2/3 of Americans did not care if their local newspaper closed. I also found it interesting that more Democrats than Republicans would miss their local papers.

The 6th article in Time is by Douglas McIntyre. As you might not be surprised to learn his article has garnered a good deal of other critical articles about him and his thoughts. The last article has an interesting tidbit that newspaper readership is actually up. It is just that revenues are not up and costs are.

My own local newspaper announced a significant layoff last year. Since then there have been more retirements and many, many changes. And mostly I know about the changes to the electronic versions because I almost never look at the old paper version.

I do have a Kindle subscription to my local newspaper and read it "cover-to-cover" so-to-speak every morning. It costs me $5.99 per month. That's $.20 per day about.

I wonder if we will lose more newspapers?
Does it matter?
Who, if anyone, will produce news content?
Does it matter?