doc.weblogs.com — Doc Searls and Dave Winer have ideas for saving Newspapers: 1) Reform journalism school. 2) Embrace the best bloggers. Every time someone is quoted in your publication, offer them a blog hosted on your domain. 3) Stop putting tomorrow's fishwrap behind paywalls. Writers hate it. Readers hate it. Worst of all, search engines ignore it.
Mar 25, 2007 View in Crawl 4
robbh66Mar 26, 2007
For all the people on here who are saying sites like Digg are making newspapers irrelevent:Where do you think Digg gets most of its news content? Do you think the news fairy magically drums up these stories for people on here to read?Digg isn't going to kill newspapers. The newspapers would kill Digg by blocking it, however.P.S.: Bloggers aren't worth their weight in s**t for news.
crash128Mar 26, 2007
What's interesting to me is that large regional daily/sunday newspapers are falling down, BUT the weekly free rags seem to be as thick as ever with advertising. 1. National newspapers - usa today, nyt, wsj - you are in danger (except for the wsj).The nyt may very well become a ny-only paper again. That usat will probably survive as long as they keep giving it away for free at hotels, airports, and bus stations.2. Large regional/city newspapers - e.g. Philly Inquirer - you are in danger. Way too many staff to support your biz model. One word: craigslist.3. Free weekly local rags - you will never die. Keep buying those distribution boxes. Keep putting them on campuses, public transport lobbys, and city corners.4. ap & upi - I see them as the big winners. I predict they will start charging comment websites (such as freerepublic.com and digg.com) for ANY mention of their articles.4a. - will a web-centric collective of bloggers and "citizen reporters" emerge to provide news? Doubtful, but it could happen. I don't see it, but maybe.5. books & magazines - I went to b&n recently. Books aren't going away any time soon, nor mags.So, to summarize, if I want national or international news I check the inet. If I want weather I check the inet. If I want local entertainment info I go local rags. I will never read an entire book off of a computer screen (I'll print it out or buy it). Regional/city papers seem to be the ones at greatest risk. But the publishing industry as a whole seems to be ok in the wake of the internet (or internets). That was fun, never crystallized it before.
vegangMar 26, 2007
@betona:Someday you'll be sitting at your table, quietly reading your tablet PC. That day could be today, if you wanted it to be.
jihadjohnsonMar 26, 2007
What a newspaper? You must mean the offline version of digg
polygoneMar 26, 2007
Put them online....lol
fcekuahdMar 26, 2007
Yeah, great article and great suggestions. I'd add one more: distribute advertising in MODERATION. When I see a site that is crammed with ads, (a) it will turn me off the site, and (b) I'll start using ad blockers.With print newspapers, the subscription price doesn't come close to paying for printing and distribution costs. The content is all paid for by advertisers. So you would assume that the content would all be free for online newspapers, since they don't incur these costs. And with online content, you can always find another source that doesn't charge. I doubt that newspapers will ever have much success charging subscription fees for online content.
urbanoneMar 27, 2007
@subxero37: "There's a large class at my high school" I'm assuming you go to high school, not teach at or run one. Great observations. Wise beyond your years.
megalopataMay 8, 2007
I can't believe it! Sweet, dugg it.
saksaSep 26, 2007
I reed all now only on PC. Great discission in here by that site...