3 ms·

Newspapers are dying because the half-life for headlines today is much, much shorter today than it was in the past and because other options are faster and free

Newspapers are dying because the half-life for headlines today is much, much shorter today than it was in the past and because other options are faster and free. Today's printed newspaper is by definition yesterday's news. Who wants to pay for old news? Imagine a web site that charged for yesterday's news. Wouldn't it fail miserably too? The problem is that online news isn't really free -- it requires funding from the dying offline business because online news doesn't have a viable business model. In fact, a lot of people don't start with the news provider's site at all -- we start with news aggregators and then do quick dives into provider sites without leaving a trace of revenue in their pockets. This simply can't last. The offline business will go broke before the online business can be made workable at this rate. Successful news providers in the future will need to start with a much cheaper cost structure to match a much lower revenue model. Current media companies may not be able to make that transition. None of them are moving fast enough, and most won't even acknowledge the simple reality that there is simply no future for the printed daily newspaper.

netcan 18y ago
"The problem is that online news isn't really free -- it requires funding from the dying offline business because online news doesn't have a viable business model." Very True. An online reader is just not worth much. Even if they do get you onto their site. "Successful news providers in the future will need to start with a much cheaper cost structure to match a much lower revenue model. " The business model might just be collapsing. And that does not necessarily mean a new one takes its place. I mean I can't take the 'new music business models' (t shirts and personalised songs & stuff) seriously. Sometimes industries collapse. Print news might be one of them. "Successful news providers in the future will need to start with a much cheaper cost structure to match a much lower revenue model" How about 0 cost (99% of blogs) & 0 direct revenue. BTW, for writer I think the alternative business model is more feasible. Books, appearances, lectures etc. A good few big name journalists could pull this off. Quite a few bloggers (in the business blogging field at least) do.

netcan 18y ago

"The problem is that online news isn't really free -- it requires funding from the dying offline business because online news doesn't have a viable business model." Very True. An online reader is just not worth much. Even if they do get you onto their site. "Successful news providers in the future will need to start with a much cheaper cost structure to match a much lower revenue model. " The business model might just be collapsing. And that does not necessarily mean a new one takes its place. I mean I can't take the 'new music business models' (t shirts and personalised songs & stuff) seriously. Sometimes industries collapse. Print news might be one of them. "Successful news providers in the future will need to start with a much cheaper cost structure to match a much lower revenue model" How about 0 cost (99% of blogs) & 0 direct revenue. BTW, for writer I think the alternative business model is more feasible. Books, appearances, lectures etc. A good few big name journalists could pull this off. Quite a few bloggers (in the business blogging field at least) do.