Newspapers - Is there a future?

On the front page of today's Sunday paper there is a small note from the editor apologizing for the recent drastic reduction in news content. Apparently there was an uproar of complaints from readers/subscribers as to the size (number of pages) of the daily issue. He said that they should have mentioned the upcoming change before implementing it.

DUH!

People READING newspapers ARE NOT STUPID. Did they think no one would notice?

In this era of instant gratification, iPods and the Internet, the younger generation isn't reading the newspaper anymore. They go to the web for information. Note I said information, not news.

Newspapers and other print media are losing money, cutting back, and even ceasing (print) publication. Some are just going electronic - direct to the web. PC Magazine is one I subscribe to and just got notice that it is now web-based.

Back to the 'condensed' Grand Rapids Press. On those days of the 'brief' edition of the Press, the same newspaper stand rate (75 cents) would have gotten me more news (and paper) with the purchase of an issue of USA Today!

Once again the bean counters (Aaaarrgghh!) have determined that the bottom line will be improved if staff is cut. Consequently buyout offers have been extended to many long-time reporters, editors and other support staff, with the unstated rationale that if you DO NOT take the buyout offer, you could lose your present position and be reassigned to the mailroom or to a paper in another city

Say goodbye to many of the more well-known, long-time bylines you are familiar with. It's truly going to be a brain drain. And they are not going to be replaced. So I ask:

1) Who is going to be reporting the LOCAL news?
2) How much more work can you place on the remaining staff?
3) What will not be covered or reported on due to staff limits?
4) How did you not see this coming?
5) Will the lack of reporters or newspapers in general allow more hanky-panky to take place in government and business?

Mull that one over?

YIKES!

Oh, by the way. The Muskegon Chronicle invested in a multi-million dollar printing press just like the Grand Rapids Press did. But now the Muskegon paper is printed in Grand Rapids as is the GR Press. Keep in mind that both of these papers are owned by the Booth Newspaper chain, which in turned is owned by the Newhouse family which in turn is owned by Advance Publications; publishers of Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, GQ, Glamour, New Yorker, Vanity Fair and others.

It's a sad time for the newspaper industry. And in some channels it is not going unoticed. Check out this site on a forum for the broadcasting biz:

http://mibuzzboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27948

DISCLAIMER: I must state that I no longer read the daily newspaper, as I check out the world happenings on the web, which includes Mlive - the GR Press/Booth Newpaper's website.

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