Having spent more than 15 years as a reporter, I have a special affection for newspapers – and I’m talking about the traditional kind that you read on the couch or on the way to work that leave your fingers stained with ink.
But as someone who is also digitally immersed, I realize newspapers – the paper variety – are a dying entity – and the newspaper business is struggling to re-invent itself amid declining revenue and circulation.
The fundamental problem is fewer people are reading newspapers, even though the Web sites operated by newspapers are popular but nowhere near as profitable.
Sadly, you can now count me as another person reading one less (paper) newspaper. After thinking about it for awhile, I’m canceling the subscription for one of Toronto’s daily newspapers.
The problem is the newspaper is delivered every day but often never read before it hits the recycling bin. In comparison with the interactivity of reading content online (links, video, search, etc.), reading a newspaper has become less inspiring and interesting.
Even the tech coverage comes across as dated given it’s published the day after something happens, and often doesn’t contain the insight that blogs and Web sites provide.
Although I’m canceling one subscription, I’m not walking away from newspapers altogether. Digging into a good sports section and doing the crossword remain two reasons why newspapers are still part of my media landscape. And the New York Times on Sunday continues to be one of the best reads around.
Another consideration is that while I may be reading fewer newspapers, my consumption of content continues to be more than healthy. Using new tools such as Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed as ways to discover new content, I’m probably reading more than ever.
The reality, however, is less of that content is coming from newspapers.
Below is a graph showing online traffic for the New York Times, USA Today and the Washington Post.
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4 Comments
Being a newspaper junkie myself, I totally relate to your experience. These days, I find myself liking two types of newspapers. The first ones are very good at providing in-depth analysis of current news, they make me think. I put in that category the Globe & Mail, Le Devoir and the New York Times. The second one is the free community newspaper for my neighborhood. It informs me of everything that goes on in the area. Everything in the middle, often a mix of news agency news and pop-culture columnists, now bores me to death.
Just thought that I’d share my appreciation for your choice. I have ditched newspapers altogether. I’ve actually been reading the Globe and Star daily on my BB using Viigo for over a year now. I see articles as they are released by their writers rather than waiting until they are published the following day. Of course things like tech news are better had through blogs that are more up to the minute, however the RSS feed of your local paper is a great alternative to print.
Bravo for dropping a newspaper. I’d recommend not substituting anything in return and continuing onwards towards a low-information diet
We were once subscribers to the National Post (when you wrote for them), but we don’t get papers delivered any more. My wife and I enjoy getting a more tailored feed using RSS. That being said, I pick up the Metro for the subway ride most mornings to get the highlights and of course, a crossword.