Newspapers Dying: The demise of geographic exclusivity

There are so many reasons why print newspapers are failing. Mostly, people complain that newspaper content is available on the Internet for free, so subscribers need not subscribe any longer, even though in reality circulation revenues were usually not more than 20% of total revenues. Or, more importantly, that classified advertising, the largest profit contributor of any newspaper, has been outdone by the efficiency of transactional web sites for homes, autos and jobs. Then there was the retail consolidation of big box stores, who hardly advertise, and chain department stores (only one advertiser rather than three or four). And the……

Campaign advertising is now reaching into the voting booth

Photo credit: secretlondon on FlickrWASHINGTON — Political advertising is reaching into polling places and even into the voting booth. That is one of three trends for 2010 campaign advertising identified by Peter Greenberger, Google's head of Public Sector Ad Sales. What's that, you say? Politicking is not allowed within 100 feet of polling places? How quaint. How very 20th century. Once again the law governs atoms, not bits…….

Newsday is first to take the plunge, goes all-pay online next week; one major provider vows to remain free

NEW YORK — Look, up in the sky! It's a balloon! No, it's not Falcom Heene floating over Colorado (or not, as it turned out). It's Terry Jimenez, floating over Long Island! Who??? Dear readers, meet Terry Jimenez, hero to newspaper publishers and scourge of free content on the Internet. What, you've never heard of him? Those of you without the Terry Jimenez poster can write to the Newspaper Association of America. Think of the iconic Farrah Fawcett poster, but with presses rolling. Really. No, just kidding (I think)…….

It’s about time newspapers started fighting back

The editor of the Tampa Tribune, Janet Coats, got the attention of her Facebook friends last Saturday when she posted this message: "Janet is preparing to fire a shot over the bow." I figured Janet's staff at the Tribune was about to score a scoop in the Sunday paper. But a quick check of Tampa Bay Online didn't turn up anything that matched her provocative post. Then I saw it. "This Newspaper Is Fighting Back." And before I read on, a quick word came to mind: "Yes!!"……