Saturday, June 18, 2005
Newspaper Readers Turning to Web
A recent article @ http://www.ecommercetimes.com/ inspired some thoughts regarding our local newspaper in Bowling Green Kentucky.
Newspaper Readers Turning to Web http://www.ecommercetimes.com/ ... Newspaper-Readers-Turning-to-Web.xhtml
The Nielsen//NetRatings study showed not only the convenience of the Internet, analysts say, but also the staying power of brands online, with relatively few readers reporting that they have abandoned traditional mainstream media outlets in favor of Web-only rivals.
The Bowling Green Daily News does a pretty good job of offering online content in a timely fashion, though their website, in my opinion, is somewhat lagging behind in features and "feel". Don't even try to search the archive (though there is a Google solution I may write about), because it fails miserably. They have been doing better with ads online and I can only hope they are offsetting the lack of subscription growth (Correction: The subscriptions are growing according to the editor.) with online ad revenue. Don't even get me started about the graphic ad representation they offer for their print advertisers, it needs a major overhaul.
Our only daily newspaper needs to take a good hard look at some of the interactive options being utilized by the bigger market publications and get users involved. In my personal opinion, they would do well to add an RSS feature, a comment and rate story feature and even a membership feature that would give them a better demographic/psychographic picture of their online readership. If your customers are online, then serve them as well (or better), than you do your print subscribers. There are dozens of ways to cross promote each media type (print and online) and besides offering the ability to offer advertisers more exposure to the market, they just might be able to offer their advertisers a clearer picture of who, when, where and why the community is seeing their advertisement.
I would love to sink my teeth into this kind of project though it would likely take a year and 6 figures to accomplish. I have a plethora of ideas to involve the community, their advertisers (of which I am one) and their talented staff. Who knows, maybe I'll just get the juices flowing by sending them a link to this blog. (grin)
Anyway, with all the new high tech industry coming to our MSA and the fact that readers are increasingly turning to online content for information, the time is right for or community newspaper to consider an investment in their online offering. This may be a good focus item for my business blog.
cc: editor{a}bgdailynews.com (I wonder how much spam this guy receives, WHEW!)
(UPDATE! I was heard! And the Daily News responded: BG Daily News managing editor responds )
