Writing for the Jan. 9 issue of Business Week, media columnist Jon Fine has a five-point plan for "the daily paper of tomorrow." Four of his initiatives already are in operation at a number of daily newspapers, but then, as William Gibson said, the future is already here -- it's just unevenly distributed. The other one -- "cut off your rivals' oxygen" -- is a good way to earn yourself a federal antitrust intervention, if we still have a government that cares about enforcing business laws. Don't miss the feedback on Fine's blog.
I liked Fine's reference to Reiman Publications, a remarkable Wisconsin-based group of glossy "rural life" magazines that are packed with contributions from readers and supported entirely through subscription fees (no ads). Reading a Reiman publication is like joining a neighborhood club, and the magazines have a fiercely loyal following that would be the envy of any beleaguered newspaper circulation director. Participative journalism, pre-web.
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themediaslut felt a certain
themediaslut felt a certain sense of irony that Joe Fine's advice on how the newspapers can survive with the readers of tomorrow is printed on page 14 in the last very copy of the Asian edition of the BusinessWeek.
Robert Dowling, managing editor for the magazine, gave three reasons why the Asian and European editions had to close and the blame was seemingly pointed at of the Internet.
The irony continues on page 35 when Louise Lee wrote an article on how “Webzines are launching print versions to boost their readership and advertising”.