One thing that I do not hear discussed is the reasons why you even need a website. In my consulting work, I will frequently ask if the client is sure that they need a website.
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Newspapers vs. The Internet
written by jason.g
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Wired News: Newspapers Should Really Worry
More evidence that the times, they are a changing. We cannot continue to operate as if the old models of communication are going to help grow the church as they have in the past.
This Wired article is saying what many have been saying for some time. Non baby boomers are not reading newspapers, or watching TV, or listening to the radio. They are on the Internet.
My favorite part of the article is the quote at the end about dead-tree readers.
Please read this article when you get a chance. Very well done.
I haven’t read this article yet, but I can tell you from personal experience that this decline in newspaper perusal is in full effect.
I worked in the newspaper industry for five years. We watched as circulation numbers either held steady or declined slightly. It’s really alarming — if you’re a member of the newspaper community — in some major markets. Not necessarily a rapid decline in readership, but rather — and this certainly supports what we know — relatively few NEW readers. Our generation, Gen X, Y and beyond . . . forget it. They’re not going to turn to paper. If they are to be reached, it’s going to be through a flat screen.
Jason November 24th, 2004 at 12:32 pmI wouldn’t write up the obituary yet for newspapers. Radio was supposed to end them, then TV, now the Internet. I think it’s a marketing problem as much as anything. J.G., you say forget those younger readers, but I don’t think they should just throw in the towel like that.
Newspapers have to show people that they provide services that you simply can’t get anywhere else. Blogs can’t produce 6-part series’ exposing unsafe working conditions, they can’t produce indepth features on politicians, businessmen, criminals, athletes, athletes who are criminals, feel-good stories, etc. Instead of making everything shorter for those with short attention spans, make them see the need for what newspapers bring.
And newspapers might have screwed up right away by putting everything they do for free on the internet. I’m sure it’s had tremendous benefits, but that has to have hurt subscriptions. Compare it to online music piracy, but in this case it’s the paper themselves who put it out there to be consumed. And it’s probably too late to put the genie back and make people pay for those sites.
shawn November 24th, 2004 at 12:42 pm