It’s a war on words, for readers. THE NEWS is a relief to us in the business who have been trying to ride the wave of the Internet without losing our shorts.
Ever since the Times-Picayune announced two years ago it would reduce its days of publication from seven to three, its rival, the Advocate of Baton Rouge, has garnered a greater share of NOLA (New Orleans, La.) readers.
Leaders of the Times-Picayune have touted its website as the go-to preference of readers and advertisers, saying the paper product soon will be a thing of the past.
Trouble is, both readers and advertisers still prefer the print product for ease of reading and superior promotion. Yes, they like the Internet for viewing the newspaper when at work or commuting on the bus or train, but by and large, they still like the newspaper over the Internet.
Don’t take our word for it. Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has purchased 28 newspapers over the last two years, deeming them a worthy investment.
Booksellers are finding the same trend. Despite the proliferation of ebooks and electronic tablets, the largest segment of the population reads a book the old-fashioned way — soft- or hard-bound, dog-eared and perhaps with a coffee stain or two.
Ever since its switch to primarily Internet, the Times-Picayune has seen a dramatic drop in circulation. Along with reducing its number of publication days, the Times-Picayune also slashed its number of employees, which, no surprise, resulted in less of a product.
In the newspaper business it takes boots on the ground to report on stories and call on customers for advertisements. All the Baton Rouge Advocate need do was send the troops down the road to New Orleans and it had a willing and ready market for its services. As of January, the Advocate had 22,000 NOLA readers, about one-fifth of its total circulation.
As of last Tuesday, the Times-Picayune has reversed course, announcing it will replace those lost days with a tabloid, a typical newspaper held vertically instead of on the horizontal.
Yes, we know it’s a viable medium because we ourselves are on the Internet all day. But it doesn’t replace one-on-one contact with our news sources nor does it compare to a handshake to confirm a sale completed to satisfaction.
We still get goose bumps by seeing our newspaper printed each day.
The thump on the doorstep, the surprise in the mailbox. Sights and sounds that say America still wants its news — delivered.
— Susan Lynn
