Once in a while, I write about something that has absolutely nothing to do with flags, and this is one of those times.
Some time ago, I reported remarks made to a group of newspaper execs by Rupert Murdoch, in which he warned that they had better pay more attention to online news, since more and more people are getting their news online.
So today I found this article in Editor & Publisher reporting an increasing rate of decline of newspaper circulation across the country, which is all fine & dandy, except that the writer didn’t mention the internet as a possible culprit.
I don’t know a thing about the newspaper business except that it is a business and in business, if you fail to recognize what your customers want and how your competition is giving them what they want, you won’t be around long.
By Jennifer Saba
(Excerpt)
NEW YORK The Audit Bureau of Circulations’ March 2005 Fas-Fax report won’t be released until mid-afternoon, but the Newspaper Association of America did a preview analysis of the numbers and found to be true what has largely been anticipated: Daily and Sunday circulation took greater hits this period than in periods past.
For the six months ending March 2005, daily circulation fell 1.9% to 47,374,033 for the 814 papers reporting to the Audit Bureau. Sunday’s drop was even steeper, with a decline of 2.5% to 51,073,104 for the 643 papers that reported.
The study does not include three newspapers — Newsday, The Dallas Morning News ,and the Chicago Sun-Times — that have been censured by the bureau because of prior circulation inflation. The declines would have been larger had the three been included, as they are three of the largest papers in the country.
"Changes in strategy among some publishers to focus on certain categories of higher-readership paid circulation rather than total new paid circulation impact the industry totals," said John Sturm, NAA president and CEO, in a statement. "In addition, a variety of new changes in reporting methodology came into effect at ABC, and this reporting period also reflects the first full cycle of regulatory changes such as the new telemarketing rules."
The do-not-call list is still cited as one of the culprits dragging down the numbers. The legislation creating the reigstry went into effect in October 2003, but more and more people have been adding their names to the list over the past two years. The NAA is set to release a new report that shows as of two years ago only 10% of "available numbers" were on the do-not-call list. Now, it’s up to 40%.