The news waits for no one. But newspapers might start asking readers to — at least for print copies.
Almost two weeks ago, The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, which is owned by Advance Publications, announced that it would cut back
its print schedule to just three days a week. Within hours, its sister
publications The Birmingham News, The Press-Register of Mobile and The
Huntsville Times followed suit. Four days later, Postmedia announced
that three of its papers, The Calgary Herald, The Edmonton Journal and
The Ottawa Citizen would all eliminate their Sunday editions.
Newspaper executives across the industry lament the loss of the daily
print paper, but concede they might follow the same path. John Paton,
chief executive officer of Digital First Media, which operates 75 daily
newspapers, said he would consider reducing his print schedule when
there was enough digital advertising to support it.
“I’m a career newspaperman. I feel the emotional tug. My father was a
printer. I get it,” Mr. Paton said. “If you care about journalism,
you’ve got to do this.”
By cutting back on print publishing, newspaper executives are betting
they can wean loyal customers and advertisers from their daily print
newspaper habit, while at the same time driving them to their own Web
site. Some industry analysts warn that readers raised on a daily
newspaper appearing at their door will lose a sense of loyalty if it
arrives only a few days a week. It is like having CBS and NBC going dark
on nights when they do not sell much advertising.
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