Should Newspapers Reduce Print Runs?

[sp1814]

We’ve been told to shop only for essentials, and to do so infrequently.

So why are newspapers still being published in volume? They have digital versions - why not switch production to those?

Not everyone has access to the Internet, so perhaps print runs could be reduced to (say) 30% for those without computers. Those who do, could to switch to their online content.

It would also mean that that the various functions that go to producing a print version of newspapers wouldn't have to come into work.

[sp1814]

Gromit

All national papers have alternatives to the printed medium.

All national titles have digital equivalents. People can still get the news via those platforms.

And I’m not suggesting zero print runs - just a reduction to reflect the new reality.

[youngmafbog]

The problem is SP, what exactly is the new reality?

For the next few weeks it will be one thing, then for a few more weeks another. No one knows until we get there what the reality will be.

And at the end who knows.

[jno]

several newspapers are offering to deliver copies, which they don't normally do, probably fearing just what you suggest - that people who have turned to online news sources may not come back.

The market for news is distorted by the BBC, whose website is free (ie paid for out of the licence fee - and by advertising abroad). So the British in particular seem to feel entitled to free news. The Mail is doing fine, though the website has a lot more celeb/cellulite stuff than the papers. The Guardian is keeping its head above water by offering everything free online but inviting readers to subscribe anyway, which many do. The FT is doing well with its online firewall, since people will pay money to find out how to make money. Nobody knows how the Murdoch media are doing behind their firewall. The Telegraph is struggling. Local papers have been dying for years, which is a shame.

This is long-term and to do with the internet rather than Covid 19. But like most industries, media are suffering under the lockdown. Even with paywalls, media websites rely a lot on advertising but advertisers are spending less.

[sp1814]

jno

I hear what you're saying.

But...'celeb/cellulite'.

What did Autocorrect do to you?

[bednobs]

i am very interested in what public service broadcasting means (in relation to key workers)
I cant understand why they are still broadcaasting (for example) the one show. I als cant understand why news programes remain the same length and frequency, when there is very little news

[Togo]

You don't suppose that the op wants all the other newspapers to follow the same route as his favourite spread cheet do you........The, failing anyway, guardian. Haha.

[retrocop]

Good grief. Even the Channel Islanders continued to distribute their Newspapers despite German censoring and shortage/rationing of paper during the last World War.

[jno]

no autocorrect - just the standard Mail columns about celebs and their bodies. Though at the moment it's all about celebs and pandemics. There's a lot more of this online than in the newspapers.

[jno]

for heaven's sake don't click on the link I provided, Togo, it would only reveal that the Guardian is doing the best of all the paid-for papers, and then you'd have to read it with both blind eyes.

[Togo]

//click on the link I provided, Togo, //

I did.....all it says is that The Sun is doing best of all and that the woeful guardian has only lost 6% compared to others losing more as a percentage. What it fails to point out for the hard of understanding is that the guardian has already lost so many of it's readers that soon it's only readers will be those who write the guff. Then it will have a 0% loss of readers. The overall sales of it are 129k whilst the Sun has 1.217 Million and the Mail 1.133 Million. Did I tread it closely enough for you? Meehh.

"When you got nothin you got nothin to lose".
Bob Dylan

[sp1814]

Togo

I’m sure that many would agree with you. I suppose it’s just one of those things where different people interpret the same story different ways.

I think we can agree to disagree on this.

[jno]

Togo, most newspapers have lost circulation at much the same rate. Among traditional tabloids, the Mail's lost half its readers this century and the Sun about 60%. Among "broadsheets" the Times is down about half, the Guardian and Telegraph about 60%. The only one with anything to smile about is the I, whose circulation is much the same as the Independent's was 20 years back.