Yet another newspaper challenge
The Washington City Paper's media column describes the scary prospect facing many newspapers these days, including the News & Record. According to focus groups run by The Washington Post, more and more younger readers are getting their news online, rather than from newsprint, and they have been trained that news is free. "The good news is they're extremely familiar with the paper. The bad news is that they don't want to buy it. News is like air, and we've taught them that," says a Post source who has watched focus groups.
We struggle with the lack of interest of younger readers in the newspaper. We struggle, too, with the knowledge that we essentially give away much of our content online. (That's why only selected items are posted.) As a result, the newspaper is changing-- slowly now, but faster soon. More local relevancy. More voices. More vibrancy. Smarter writing. More exclusives. More people you know.
And we're working on the site.
It's a challenge, perhaps as great as any newspapers have faced. If nothing else, rising to it will make us a much better paper. (For the record -- because it seems as if many people think we're losing circulation -- we've grown each of the last three years.)
Comments (1)
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I'm just an old-fashioned girl. I have to have that paper in my hands and that newsprint all over me first thing in the morning with my cup of coffee. It's ritual. Perhaps younger people are less enamored with ritual that us old folks. (Note -- I caught a typo as I was writing this. I typed RUTUAL. Typo or Freudian?)
Posted on October 1, 2004 8:43 AM