Some scary news out today about the crazy drop in circulation at nearly ever paper that matters in the U.S. The numbers are damned scary.
I find it interesting, being in the free world, talking to people who know I used to work for a newspaper. First they ask why the paper is so skinny. Then (here in Detroit), they ask why they can’t get it delivered to their house. Then I am asked why there is nothing they want to read in the paper.
In return, I ask them back why they’re not on the websites (age or they don’t like reading papers on the web), and what they think papers should do to get more readers back.
There is no simple answer. Some people just don’t want to wait around for a newspaper in any form – web or print. They want the info now, popped into their iPhone or blackberry. Newspapers, through all the staff cutbacks and budget slashing can’t be all things to all people, so for example in sports, when you stop covering Olympic sports, tennis and other stuff, people are going to stop coming to you. And people are tired of sports being talk radio. They’re coming to a newspaper for substance, to cut through the opinion. Have a take, but make it intelligent, expert. Any idiot can call up a show. Hopefully the person in front of the keyboard for a paper has more knowledge going on. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. And people KNOW the difference.