Print Media being hit hard by recession and internet

[Gerry]

On twitter I follow JohnAByrne, who is one of the top dudes at Business Week.

2 hours ago he reported this:

All 85 staffers at Portfolio magazine will be leaving Conde Nast due to its closure, writes BW's Jon Fine. http://is.gd/cWUL

This is a mag I subscribed to eons ago as it was an exceptional show piece for artists and illustrators. I had a sketch in one issue in the mid 80's.

The cost of paper has gone up. The cost of printing ink has gone up. The cost of labor has gone up. The cost of retaining good talent and work team has gone up.

Meanwhile, readership was on the decline long before the recession for numerous magazines. PC World closed their Australian/New Zealand edition and office last fall. Several other magazines have either folded, cut out regional editions, or scaled back

Ten Major Newspapers That Will Fold Or Go Digital, An Update

Several newspapers have already folded. One analyst predicts 80% of daily papers will fold withing 18 months.

What this means to me is classified ads are going out as well. Seems like now more than ever is an ideal to start building sites that are of directory type sites. Keeping them updated will also be necessary to ensure seasonal news and ads. Push beach in the summer and snow ski in the winter.

It also looks like geo names are soon to be even more en-vogue. Something has to take the place of all that local, regional, and state news. Sure, the paper may end being on line. But some of these suckers are closing up shop PERIOD!

Just some food for thought to be learning or honing site skills. Know your market. An easy place to start is what matches your personal interests with the locale you are in. If you have a favorite sport, pasttime, fishing spot, hunting story then share it. Start locally and broaden out. It is hard as hell to learn something new and different so stick with and start out with what you know.

 

[stewie]

thx.. :yo: advertising dollar is hurting them

 

[copper]

Nice post.

This confirms my belief that traditional media such as
Newspapers and Magazines will die out eventually.

This is why I registered domains that can be used as
online news sites for all 50 states few years ago.

I received few offers ranging from mid $xxx to low $x,xxx
depend on domain which I promptly turned down.

I don't plan to sell these domains.
Instead, I am going to offer these domains for monthly/yearly
leases when time is right which shouldn't be too long

 

[Gerry]

Nice post.

This confirms my belief that traditional media such as
Newspapers and Magazines will die out eventually.

This is why I registered domains that can be used as
online news sites for all 50 states few years ago.

I received few offers ranging from mid $xxx to low $x,xxx
depend on domain which I promptly turned down.

I don't plan to sell these domains.
Instead, I am going to offer these domains for monthly/yearly
leases when time is right which shouldn't be too long

It may have taken a while to achieve, but the first traditional media to suffer was radio. The next is the print industry. It was perhaps 15 years ago (or more) that I reacall reading about how all magazine would be gone and digital in 10 years. Well, they missed it buy a tad.

The most peculiar thing is now how these newspapers and magazines are falling with such regularity. Those that were barely managing or hanging on are either gone or finished. The merger/acquisition prospect is kind of grim as any previous offer is off the table as revenue takes a serious nose dive and value has plummeted as well.

Less than an hour ago, I read where the television industry is now willing to pull out the stops to keep broadcast TV off the internet. Problem is, they will not succeed.

Music industry, television industry, cinematic industry - all are facing a crunch now.

I disagree with one person saying billboards will be gone shortly. We are still a mobile society. The tradional static billboard will be gone. Now billboards of a Jumbotron venue are starting to pop up. One is in place here in the Winston area. Again, outdoor advertising companies will have to weigh the cost and installation. Frankly, having done about a 3 year stint in the outdoor ad business, I think it is awesome! In the long run, the ad company will be able to recoup any and all costs just in labor alone of having to change the paper, print, and delivery of the goods.

 

[PRED]

the other thing is, and have thought this a long time is, why chop down millions of trees everyday to print stuff?

okay for quality books that can last a lifetime, and there was nothing like a good newspaper on a sunday...........

but certainly in the U.K, there is no such thing as a good newspaper. the times was a read, until murdoch took over and its just crap now
the sunday ones are now the worst with all the 'supplements' and junkmail

90% of our newspapers are utter sh*te. im guessing most other countries are the same?

so, in some ways, justice will be done. feel sorry for the workers but this is one area thats needed sorting for a longtime. why pay to read crap if thats what you want. go online, its free

 

[Dale Hubbard]

This is why Google is so successful. This is all in the 'natural order of things'. A kind of 'Darwinisim'. You want something, you Google it. The dollars are online - not in print now.

 

[nascar59]

hey doc nice post,I have seen the stories about mags,news papers etc closing down,I receive several business mags that are going to be online only

 

[Gerry]

hey doc nice post,I have seen the stories about mags,news papers etc closing down,I receive several business mags that are going to be online only

The only subscription I still get is WIRED but will soon stop.

I get medical and trade journals sent to me as part of my licensing or organizational fees.

I am going to recommend to them to cease publication, or minimally opt out of print option and allow me to receive digital issues. I end up throwing the damn things away after I read as it is.

Imagine the money that an organization printing 100,000 monthly trade journals could save and put to better use for research, funding projects, and as lobbying for better laws.

This is why Google is so successful. This is all in the 'natural order of things'. A kind of 'Darwinisim'. You want something, you Google it. The dollars are online - not in print now.

Absolutely correct.

How many are still using morse code? rotary phones? dial up internet? those "brick" mobile phones?

I honestly and truly can not even begin to guess the last time I even saw or looked at a newspaper. I think I have been newsprint free for 2009.

I know we stopped out daily subscription perhaps 8-9 years ago.