Freefall of the old media industry

[digitaldean]

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/tribune-hires-bankruptcy-advisers/

Chicago Tribune hiring advisors to stave off bankruptcy. (even selling the Scrubbies may not help them now)
Miami Tribune is for sale.
Rocky Mt. News is for sale and may even close its doors.
US News & World Report goes to a monthly (was weekly).
Christian Science Monitor goes to digital only
PC Magazine going digital only.
Gannett has laid off 10% of it's workforce nationwide and closed numerous papers.

I am not surprised that it is happening. Just at the speed at which these dominoes in the media world are tumbling. These old media bastions have been done in by internet news and blogger sites.

Since I am in the printing industry, it has had a huge ripple effect. Definitely has hurt a lot of the printers, even giant QuadGraphics and Quebecor. Niche magazines once considered safe have to rethink are now getting phased out.

Goes to show if an online presence isn't strong, you're dead as a media outlet.

[Kiwon]

It's an interesting shift, and yes, it is happening surprisingly fast.

But business dynamics are unforgiving. Adapt or die.

Are there any more stores selling buggy whips?

Too bad the "Big 3" automakers couldn't see what was coming a few decades ago.

That said, there is no equal replacement for a newspaper and a cup of coffee in the morning. :wink:

[sheepshead]

I canceled my subscription after the election. I was calling it the Barack Obama newsletter. It still was. The once great newspaper has turned into a shameless liberal rag. Many great columnists left years ago. I dont know what will happen to newsprint. Craiglist and real estate websites have taken a ton of revenue from papers.

[Zool]

It's an interesting shift, and yes, it is happening surprisingly fast.

But business dynamics are unforgiving. Adapt or die.

Are there any more stores selling buggy whips?

Too bad the "Big 3" automakers couldn't see what was coming a few decades ago.

That said, there is no equal replacement for a newspaper and a cup of coffee in the morning. :wink:

Redbull and a laptop.

[texaspackerbacker]

I'm really surprised to see a poster who generally is blatantly liberal bring this up. Rush Limbaugh makes this point all the time.

A small part of it may be technology--getting it free on the internet, etc., but the huge obvious reason why the "old media industry"--which obviously includes network TV news--is in the toilet is because THEY HAVE SOLD THEIR SOULS TO THE POLITICAL LEFT! People just don't want to consistently have anti-American, anti-Christian, pro-socialist CRAP preached at them.

The reason Limbaugh, Fox News, and a bunch of lesser conservative talk show people have been successful, and Air America, MSNBC, all three old network news departments, not to mention the media outlets mentioned above have flopped is that Rush, Fox, and the other good guys simply REFLECT the views of the huge majority of good normal Americans--rather than preach elitist leftist CRAP like those oldies/lefties.

While the leftist mainstream media has failed miserably in the market place, though, it has clearly succeeded in the arena of electoral politics--inflicting Obama and a horrible leftist Congressional majority on us.

[sheepshead]

The Trib had its you-know-what so far up The One's you-know-what when all this went down. Another example of how Barry wins elections. Get's the other guy to resign:

Good read and its all factual and very sad:


http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2008/11/sewerwatch-exclusive-did-chicago.html