The On-Line Eyes Will Have It ... Eventually ...

H/T to @GregMitch

Generation Gap



There's been barrels-and-barrels of ink (or bits of type) used up on the death of newspapers, how it will wipe out journalism.

They, perhaps, begrudgingly, put their content on-line (not, in all cases, necessary well), with the rumbles of charging people to read said content (The NYT did that, stopped it, and now may be rebuilding the firewall), which, invariably drops the numbers of readers (as was the case, with the NYT, numerous bloggers posted all, or most, of the NYT Op-ED Columnists, so those that didn't pay the ransom could stay caught up).

Now, this may too simple.

Perhaps the newspapers should stay as newspapers, even on-line.

This was done a few years ago, by a high-tech pub, whose name I can't recall.

You had the on-line experience of turning the pages, you could click a specific article, enlarge it, etc.

While I haven't researched it for this post, I believe the technical ability to do this is there, or, wouldn't be all that arduous to ramp up.

Newspapers could layout the paper on-line, as in print, make the same ads as in print interactive, linked ... In other words, combine the best of both worlds, and they would likely see their circulation stay stable, or, actually increase.

If they continue to print the paper, possibly, they could boost advertising prices, being said advertiser would be getting double exposure (and, a measurable hit rate, via the on-line edition).

Charging for the on-line content may work for some specific, niche-oriented pubs, but something like the NYT, and other daily papers, there's so many ways on-line, so many places to get information (and places that aren't charging for it), that it is unlikely to sustain itself, at least, regarding major, or breaking, news.



What newspapers need to do is stop acting like the last blacksmiths, and harness-makers, in town, complaining about all the Model T's riding around the streets.

Get a glove, get in the game ...

There's a lot more dances left on this card, the band will play on, and we will likely see a number of attempts and iterations, some messy and jumbled, before this all settles down.


Bonus Links

Nicholas Carlson: New York Times Considers Charging $5 Per Month For Access To NYT.com (NYT)

Glynnis MacNicol: NYT.com to Put an End to Freeloading Readers!

Clay Shirky: Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable

Will Bunch: The scoop on newspapers giving out free electronics

MG Siegler: The Big Screen Kindle Hail Mary To Newspapers Will Fall Incomplete

Edward Wasserman: Commentary: How Twitter poses a threat to newspapers