The Lightning Fast Rise of the Mobile-Only Newspaper Audience
In the past, sitting down at the kitchen table or in a recliner in the morning to read the paper was an all-too-common daily ritual for many Americans … then came the Internet. As online technology grew and branched out, it forced news publishers to re-evaluate their print offerings, with many scrambling to learn new […]
Local Newspapers Digging in Their Digital Heels
This past October, America celebrated the 74th annual National Newspaper Week. In an environment where publishing is changing dramatically and newspapers are seeking to redefine their role in the bigger communications landscape, it’s important to acknowledge that local and regional newspapers continue to play a critical role in local communities around the nation. The traditional […]
Monetizing Content for Newspapers, and How You Can Make it Better
Some news organizations are seeing year-over-year incremental growth in revenue. However, most of them are seeing declines. Digital Advertising There are two metrics that are of particular concern to media companies, the first of which is digital ad revenue. For most of the newspaper industry, that number grows, but by less each year. Consider the […]
NY Times Paints Bleak Picture for Print
Oh, print. Where have you gone, and more importantly, where are you going? In 1475, the first English book was published, and print began to filter to the masses. A mere 150 years later, the first newspaper came out. Compared to the slow rise of print over many hundreds of years, the rise the web […]
5 Ways Newspapers are Using Social Media
Old media, meet new media. A recent report from the Indiana University school of journalism shows how journalists in the United States use social media. The report is entitled “The American Journalist in the Digital Age.” It’s authored by Laura Willnat and David Weaver, both journalism professors. The authors surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. journalists […]
Print Newspapers are Still the Pinnacle in Audience Engagement
Sometimes the old habits are hardest to break. Just because the world has gone digital, doesn’t mean readers have followed the trend, or even prefer to read digital media. New data available from a study concerning reader engagement found that print newspapers are in the lead. This means print newspapers still provide more reader engagement […]
5 Things the Wall Street Journal is Doing, and You Should, Too
The Wall Street Journal is a household name in news for some very good reasons. Small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that wish to succeed would do well to emulate some of the practices of the most famous financial newspaper in the history of the United States. Here are 5 things that The Wall Street Journal is doing […]
How Copyright Laws are Vital for the Future of Newspapers
Almost every day, members of the White House Press Corps challenge the press secretary about the President’s executive actions and legislative initiatives. Elsewhere, sports reporters are writing about the outcome of professional sporting events. At the same time, investigative journalists pore over public records to determine whether or not corporate executives are telling the truth. […]
Digital Disruption Now Seen Significantly with Europe and Australia Newspapers
Earlier in June, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers released their annual World Press Trends Survey. There’s encouraging news and discouraging news in it, but there’s one constant: the importance of the newspaper in society. Not only are newspapers faced with an ever-evolving business model and the constant chase after revenues, it’s at […]
The Little Newspapers that Could: Small, Digital Papers Turn a Profit
There is still room for success in digital news. Small, local online sites are actually seeing growth in this challenging environment. Survey Says… A recent survey of online local news sites shows that 62% of publishers saw an increase in year-over-year revenues in 2013. Less than a quarter (23%) reported no change and only 15% […]
What Wired and Netflix can Teach You About Native Advertising
Do you remember the “Snow Fall” ad experience featured on The New York Times? That was a creative attempt to take native advertising to a new level. It would appear that Wired has just done something very similar. However, instead of recounting the details of an avalanche, the online magazine is instead advertising Netflix. SEE […]
Tom Patterson, of Harvard, Discusses Knowledge-Based Journalism and Retraining the Press
Tom Patterson is the Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. He recently shared his beliefs for the future of knowledge-based journalism, including public interest and globalism in an interview. Here is an overview of his interview, with the most important parts […]
Newspaper Acquisitions on the Rise, but is that a Good Thing?
By now the whole world has noticed the consolidation in media properties over the years. That consolidation could extend to smaller newspapers. Why Smaller Newspapers? Larger media companies find small newspapers an attractive investment for one reason: cash flow. Additionally, those newspapers have dramatically dropped in value, just like their bigger brothers. That means that […]
Why Marketing is Critical to Audience Engagement
You produce high-quality copy, but that might not be enough. With publishers facing a fragile market and audience engagement remarkably low, the signs might seem to reveal an overall lack of interest in news. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that the audience is still there, but some newspapers and trade […]
What the Wall Street Journal Can Teach About Advertising Innovation
Innovation has always been good, but it hasn’t always been as critical as it is right now. For a century or more, industries could rely on scalable efficiencies to survive. They could lower their costs after surmounting high barriers to entry or scale up publication to take better advantage of economies of scale. Publishers could […]
Print Advertising for Publishers: Is Innovation Possible?
It seems as though digital media offers limitless possibilities for creative advertising. However, some wily designers have managed to produce very innovative advertisements on “old school” media like printed newspapers. For starters, yes, there is still a demand for the printed word. Not everyone has, as of yet, acquired a fully digital portfolio of news […]
Local Broadcasting’s Ace in the Hole: The Local News
Local broadcasters are uncovering some challenges in our nation’s capital. That’s because the FCC, on a party line vote, restricted the ability of television stations to share advertising in the same market. The FCC has also set aside larger portions of the broadcast spectrum for wireless carriers. However, that does not mean that local broadcasting […]
The Pros and Cons of Breaking News on Social Media
Social media isn’t just for keeping up with friends and family, and it isn’t just for marketing. Social media is often the point from which breaking news stories emerge. If you are an online news publisher, you may have mixed feelings about breaking news over social media vs. breaking it to your paid subscribers. Determining […]
3 Digital Trends For Publishers in 2014 [Infographic] Part 3/3
This is part 3 of the infographic series: 3 Digital Trends for Publishers in 2014. In 2014, publishers will experience these 3 digital trends: Mobile moves to the center of the multiplatform landscape Native Advertising is here to stay Always on means always social Part 3 is all about social media. Social Media has become […]
3 Digital Trends For Publishers in 2014 [Infographic] Part 2/3
This is part 2 of the infographic series: 3 Digital Trends for Publishers in 2014. See Part 1: Mobile Moves to the Center of the Multiplatform Landscape here. Part 2 is all about Native Advertising. U.S digital native advertising spending is estimated to rise 20.5% this year to $2.29 billion, thus more and more publishers […]
3 Digital Trends For Publishers in 2014 [Infographic] Part 1/3
Today, publishers find themselves in the center of a swirling, increasingly complicated digital vortex. New technology and social media channels continue to grow. Consumers are increasingly switching from traditional print media to digital media. As a result, publishers are facing new challenges as advertisers move from newspapers to online channels and into new formats. Print […]
If Warren Buffett Needs Digital for Audience Development, So Should You
Warren Buffett received a lot of attention when he started buying up midsize and local newspapers a couple of years ago, averring, ”Papers delivering comprehensive and reliable information to tightly bound communities and having a sensible Internet strategy will remain viable for a long time.” However, the 2013 annual report from Buffett’s investment firm Berkshire […]
Social Media Helps Newspapers Increase Website Traffic
Though the term social media is relatively new, the concept is not. The world may be connected 24/7/365 through social media, but social networks have existed throughout history, according to British journalist Tom Standage in his book Writing on the Wall: Social History – The First 2000 Years. From letter exchanges in ancient Rome to […]
Could Crowdfunded Journalism Work for You?
Crowdfunding is everywhere. Whether you need something for the development of a new gadget or you need help starting up a new business, it has proven to be highly successful and effective. But what about when it comes to starting a newspaper or finding financial relief for a struggling one? Could it help you in […]
Plan Now to Attend the Mega Conference for Newspaper Executives
If you are a newspaper executive or do business with newspapers, the Mega Conference is the must-attend event for 2014. Not only is it a chance to learn more about the industry and proven marketing strategies, but it gives you the chance to network with your peers. This on its own opens doors you would […]
What San Quentin Prison Can Teach You about Audience Development
The newspaper business has taken a pasting in the past decade, with print circulations and ad revenues tumbling as more people get their news online. However, those who have written the obituary for the newspaper industry have been shown to be premature on multiple occasions. The digital shift has seen more papers move some or […]
How Local Sports Can Work Wonders for Reader Engagement
What’s the first thing that a lot of folks turn to in a newspaper? The sports section, of course. The digital age has thrown in a monkey wrench for printed media, but like almost every other dilemma, there is a solution. Community newspapers need a community focus. That’s never been more true than now, when […]
How a Newspaper Can Harness the Powers of Pinterest
Newspaper headlines are designed to grab a reader’s interest, and make them want to learn more. You catch, or lose, readers in mere seconds, depending on how sticky your headline is. At Pinterest, images replace headlines. So a picture really is worth a thousand words. Social media encompasses a lot more than just Facebook and […]
2013’s Best Newspaper Success Stories
Arianna Huffington, president and editor of Huffington Post, has a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t online. She recently gave a lecture in Switzerland addressing changes news organizations have dealt with in recent years. Her take on the topic reflects what the industry has learned, sometimes the hard way: ”We don’t just […]
3 Rules for Mobile Apps for Newspapers
It is not a secret that newspaper readership is trending downward all the time. But somehow, the most prominent papers in the country remain relevant through listening and adapting to what the audience wants, even if it’s unfamiliar territory. One such territory is mobile devices. If you want to reach readers, you’ve got to offer […]