How Can We Stop the Slow Death of Newspapers?

Newspapers across the country are dying.  Subscriptions are down.  Newspapers are struggling with revenue streams for their online presence.  Advertising is down.  Some newspapers are limiting themselves to one edition per day, or a few editions per week instead of twice a day or 7 days a week.  Newsrooms are shrinking as newspapers urge early retirement, offer buyouts and determine that layoffs are necessary.  And, in some cases, newspapers have shut down completely.

Will the country be left with a only few newspapers?

Will newspapers become online only properties?

Will newspapers go away completely?

The problem with newspapers today is that they all cover the same old news.  Online and TV news sources trump printed newspapers when it comes to breaking news.

Newspapers also try to cover ALL the news.  A majority of each newspaper is national and international news that is already out-of-date when it is printed, and its’ all gathered from the same limited news sources.  National and international news is much better covered by online and TV news sources.

Local newspapers need to refocus on local and regional news and information that lacks coverage anywhere else.  Local newspapers can rule the market when it comes to local news.

Further, what’s printed in the paper, for the most part, is old news online.  Online provides real-time news, commentary, debate and interaction.  Online also provides two-way news and communication, something that consumers demand more and more. The printed newspaper provides one-way communication.

Local newspapers can corner the market when it comes to the local news–both in printed form and online.

Certainly there are some people who go to their local newspaper for everything–local, regional, national and international news.  This is the least common denominator, and catering to their needs is killing newspapers.

It’s time for a newspaper revolution before they all disappear for good.

Or, it’s potentially a great time for entrepreneurs to step in and corner the local news market themselves since the newspapers don’t seem willing to change.