Bailout the US media and papers?

[CaptJimboJones]

Anyway, my basic point is that the media just needs to tune what it sells with what the public want. I think they'll want a bit of both news & fluff in these times, but in easily digestible bite-size portions. I don't think the government should have a role in subsidising the media while they figure it out though.

Except that the problem for newspapers isn't readers. U.S. newspaper readership, when you combine print and online, is greater now than at any time in the 200-year-old history of the industry. Most of the news you find online at any given time came from a reporter working for a newspaper or wire service (which are largely funded by newspapers).

The problem is primarily classified advertising, which migrated to the Internet thanks to free online classifieds. Most newspapers got something like 60% of their revenues from classifieds, and now that's vanishing entirely, thanks to online competition and the bottoming out of real estate and auto sales, which are major classified buyers.

These gleeful right-wing fantasies that newspapers are struggling because "they're too liberal" or "no one reads them anymore" are completely wrong. The problems are almost entirely related to classified advertising, and have almost nothing to do with the actual content of the paper.

All of that said, I don't think newspapers should receive any sort of direct bailouts.

 

[Red Ranger]

Anyway, my basic point is that the media just needs to tune what it sells with what the public want. I think they'll want a bit of both news & fluff in these times, but in easily digestible bite-size portions. I don't think the government should have a role in subsidising the media while they figure it out though.

Except that the problem for newspapers isn't readers. U.S. newspaper readership, when you combine print and online, is greater now than at any time in the 200-year-old history of the industry. Most of the news you find online at any given time came from a reporter working for a newspaper or wire service (which are largely funded by newspapers).

The problem is primarily classified advertising, which migrated to the Internet thanks to free online classifieds. Most newspapers got something like 60% of their revenues from classifieds, and now that's vanishing entirely, thanks to online competition and the bottoming out of real estate and auto sales, which are major classified buyers.

These gleeful right-wing fantasies that newspapers are struggling because "they're too liberal" or "no one reads them anymore" are completely wrong. The problems are almost entirely related to classified advertising, and have almost nothing to do with the actual content of the paper.

All of that said, I don't think newspapers should receive any sort of direct bailouts.

CaptJimboJones:

Thanks for pointing out this very real problem with the old biz model of newspapers. It's a perfect storm, esp. with the convergence of a slump in auto and real estate sales and cheaper online alternatives to the classifieds. It has nothing to do with content, and everything to do with the failure of the business side to adapt, as I mentioned earlier.

Red Ranger

 

[John Picard]

Anyway, my basic point is that the media just needs to tune what it sells with what the public want. I think they'll want a bit of both news & fluff in these times, but in easily digestible bite-size portions. I don't think the government should have a role in subsidising the media while they figure it out though.

Except that the problem for newspapers isn't readers. U.S. newspaper readership, when you combine print and online, is greater now than at any time in the 200-year-old history of the industry. Most of the news you find online at any given time came from a reporter working for a newspaper or wire service (which are largely funded by newspapers).

The problem is primarily classified advertising, which migrated to the Internet thanks to free online classifieds. Most newspapers got something like 60% of their revenues from classifieds, and now that's vanishing entirely, thanks to online competition and the bottoming out of real estate and auto sales, which are major classified buyers.

These gleeful right-wing fantasies that newspapers are struggling because "they're too liberal" or "no one reads them anymore" are completely wrong. The problems are almost entirely related to classified advertising, and have almost nothing to do with the actual content of the paper.

All of that said, I don't think newspapers should receive any sort of direct bailouts.

There was a time when newspaper articles were written with proper grammar, diction, and structure. For the past 25 years they've morphed into what looks like something written by a six year old.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Let 'em sink. People are fed up with the Partisan Press (formally mainstream media) and they need to learn a lesson. But I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure BHO will bail out the industry that installed him as President.

Maybe we can subsidize the print media by charging for talk radio.

It would be nice if something could be done; it's a shame to see newspapers dying all over the place. But it's the same for all print media. Between the Internet and declining literacy rates, things are not looking good.

I agree. It would be tough though for them to accept government money in any form and still maintain the image of being independent.

And it wouldn't do any good without solving some of the basic problems. The best thing the government could probably do for newspapers and magazines is pass some legislation resulting in cheaper paper and postage.

 

[Sheep]

There was a time when newspaper articles were written with proper grammar, diction, and structure. For the past 25 years they've morphed into what looks like something written by a six year old.

I thought I was the only one who noticed some really obvious grammatical and other errors in wire articles the past couple of years. Good to see it's not just me...I think.

Anyhow, no bailout for any media, particularly newspapers. What's next? A bailout of the music industry?

 

[RJDiogenes]

I think a bailout of small internet-based businesses would be great.

 

[TheMasterOfOrion]

What's next? A bailout of the music industry?

I've heard even that adult magazine hustler Larry Flynt has been taking his begging bowl to Washington. As Jim Inhofe put it in December last year Congress is "completely out of control.''