News-Record.com

As a prescriber of solutions for newspaper ills, Ted Rall makes a great cartoonist.

If publishers take three audacious but absolutely essential steps, the print newspaper industry can save itself. All three of my suggestions are predicated on the simplest principle of capitalism: scarcity increases demand.

That's from a column written by Ted Rall. His prescription:

1. All newspapers shut down their Web sites
2. Aggressively enforce their copyright
3. Drop the wire services

JR you just don't get it. The majority of once news worthy newspapers have evolved into nothing more than Liberal tabloids spinning news into predetermined conclusions. The American people aren't stupid not to see this, and this is the single most reason why your industry is failing. Why do you think FOX news has such a huge audience, they allow for opposing views, I could hardly think that Chris Mathews and MSNBC would do the same. The very same MSNBC that has tanked which eventually your publication is going to do if you don't stop spinning the news, and instead start reporting it and let the people make thier own conclusions. Good luck as your going to need it.

Anonymous, I KNOW you are 100% right. I been in political meetings twice this week. Tonight will be the third. The liberal media is the only business, I know that will tell 50% of the people, I do not need your business. That is exactly what folks like me, are told by newspapers. I have asked this question twice, the answer I got was do not buy our paper! Excuse me, I thought the purpose was to make money, not run customers off. I am not knocking the NR, anymore than I do any liberal bias media. Look at the writers for the NR, JR, Doug, Allen, Jerry, Mark. all are flaming liberals. I can go to Raleigh and find out more crap, in 4 hours, than the NR will print in 4 .years. Getting ready to go there now. I will all most bet, that I will hear something that will not make any liberal media in NC. I love the printed news, they just hate folks like me. If I ran a liberal media outlet, I have a least one person that had some character* That is what Jessie wanted to cut out of Obama.

I appreciate y'all's visit and taking the time to comment, but don't you have something new to add? "You're too liberal" -- particularly when your examples are TV and generic newspaper references -- doesn't quite get to the meat of the issue. To me, at least.

I appreciate y'all's visit and taking the time to comment, but don't you have something new to add? "You're too liberal" -- particularly when your examples are TV and generic newspaper references -- doesn't quite get to the meat of the issue. To me, at least.

JR, you can hit a jackass with a 2x4 and get his attention, unfortunately that doesn't work for you! You asked for opinions and answers and when I gave you some, sorry about the anonymous thing but I forgot to type in my name, sue me, hey I'm pushing 70 and I'm entitled to a senior moment once in a while, back to my orininal thought, but you rejected good common sense business ethical advice. Get your paper back into main-stream news and I just bet you might sell a lot more papers, hell I might revive my dormant subscription! I do miss the crossward puzzles! Beau

I hear you, Beau. I was just trying to elevate the discussion away from the same-ole, same-ole.

Beau and Doug,

Actually, you guys are helping the NR by visiting and expressing your opinion. This type of dialogue that is so prevalent in smaller town papers (highly successful due to their necessity in the marketplaces, if you don't believe me look it up) will be at the forefront of the industry's new business model. Paper's can no longer compete with the powerhouse TV stations or internet companies that are so prevalent today. The key to the paper's survival is writing about things that interest people in their community. You cannot keep everyone happy, and to be honest, most conservatives don't take up writing as a profession. The key is to report it and respond to community opinion. I think AJ, DR, and JR do a great job of that.

To respond to the three points, that is ridiculous. That type of thinking is what led the NP industry into the current funk. Business advice from a cartoonist with an ivy league engineering degree, I think I will pass.

The current problem with the industry, not just the NR, was a failure to respond to a change in business climate due to the belief that papers were untouchable. The industry has been reactive for many years and still remains that way in some cities. The old business model will not work and must be addressed. The small town papers as cited earlier will remain successful and the large metro papers will continue to evolve. It will take strong leadership, open minds, and forward thinking for them to survive. Some will fail, some will prosper, that is the nature of the new industry.

Thank you, axhandle.

I suspect the News & Record has more older readers than younger readers, given the attraction of Internet, TV, and other electronic media to many of the young set. If this is true it might be helpful for the News & Record to survey its older reading audience and learn what this group wants to read about, and what it prefers not to read about. You may be too close to the subject to be objective about it.

Newspapers are rightfully concerned about their advertising base. Older readers may be more prone to make the newspaper-newspaper advertiser connection than younger people, who take their cue from high speed media advertising. But then, you may already have this figured out to your satisfaction.

Thanks, Bill. We survey readers of all ages every year. The average age of a News & Record newspaper reader is mid-40s. As you know, there is a tremendous diversity of interests, philosophy and habits in a single generation, much less the three that make up a group from, say, 40 to 80 years old.

For instance, Beau, above, is an "older" reader, if I may, Beau. He thinks that if we tilt our content to please conservatives that we'd do fine. My guess is that he would say that other people he talks with think the same thing. (Apologies if I'm putting words in your mouth, Beau.) But that says more about the people he hangs with than it does about our readership. Our research doesn't indicate a sense that people want us to become more conservative. But I will never be able to convince a segment of people of that.

We don't make major decisions without considering the readership research and impact on readership.

As a cartoonist, I can tell you Rall is speaking from the perspective of a successful syndicated artist. Give nothing for free, defend your turf, and... well, I don't know how the wire stuff fits into this.

As a flaming liberal, I resent being grouped in with JR and Jerry.

Rall has long had a penchant for "shock value," the statement of the absurd in an attempt to garner attention. I assume he's burned out on ticking off servicemen and their families. As you note, John, this piece of shock value will probably work in the journoblogosphere.

And I note with laughter the outrage by "anonymice" who claim the inevitable shibboleth of "liberal bias" in the media that is causing its decline, and commend you for your judicious handling of such obvious trollery. :-)

JR you just don't get it. The majority of once news worthy newspapers have evolved into nothing more than Neo-con tabloids spinning ultra-right cowboy nonsense to keep us in the dark.

I suggest they all try going NPOV. We could use less divisionist nonsense like that I was just parodying.

John, I am a little late to the party. I just wanted to thank you for your concise and cogent response to Rail's non-solution.