30 January 2009

"Newspaper Companies to Make More Cutbacks" - NYTimes.com

"Is Community-Funded Journalism The Answer?" - NPR

I think getting people to pay more for news is a good idea but I am very uncomfortable with this approach; it threatens the independence and professionalism of journalism in my mind.

Dubai Business | Kippreport » No free press, no democracy, says Kuwaiti MP »

28 January 2009

"Le Figaro: Forging ahead but taking a different route, less integration and more print" - Editors Weblog

"Free Newspaper Venture Depends on Local Blogs" - NYTimes.com

There is one of these in France, too. It might work, but needs to anticipate fully what people are going to value when printed on a piece of paper.

"Could editorial outsourcing save newspapers?" - Editors Weblog

My answer to the question is no.

"Capital Gazette newspapers cuts 111 jobs" - Baltimore Business Journal

"Landmark newspapers give 5-day furloughs" - baltimoresun.com

"Cox newspapers in NC cutting 28 jobs to save costs" - ABC 13

We are going to see a lot more of this.

"Washington Post to End Book World as Stand-Alone Section" - NYTimes.com

Whether this was a good move or not depends on whether the Post has reoriented its thinking about books and attempted to insert itself in the new electronic link that most book readers now enjoy. Is there, for example, a stand alone - but fully linked behind the scenes - website/page on books with the Post's name on it? In my view, everything then flows from that. The only page I could find is not very compelling or especially useful. It needs to redone starting with the customer - the reader and maybe buyer of books who can be convinced that the Post has something to offer in pursuing that interest. That includes advice and purchasing or borrowing books.....and it all has to be done in the name of the Post in order to stick and succeed.