Does launching a daily print newspaper in the United States really make good business sense nowadays?
Launching a daily newspaper in the United States only makes sense if you know your target audience. Business writers who cover media outlets predict that major metro papers will continue to take a nose dive in the years to come while medium-sized papers will hold their own if they reinvent themselves. They also say small community newspapers will thrive. That could be, in part, because of the void left by bigger newspapers that abandoned suburban and regional coverage. It might be wise to launch a web site first and get a sense of how well the product is received before going to print.
Thomson: The U.S. edition is a modest enterprise that has already done wonders for our Web profile in the U.S. I recommend that your readers buy a copy and come to their own conclusion about its utility. In fact, they should all take out a lifetime subscription. IWM: Times media editor Dan Sabbagh wrote in an analysis that “paper products are gradually becoming a shop window for Web sites, which is partly why the Times is on sale in New York.” Is the paper edition of newspapers becoming secondary to online? Thomson: An important concept for newspapers to contemplate is that of “complementary content,” as each medium has its strength and weaknesses. One of the strengths of the printed paper is that it has an obvious presence on the streets, a presence that is advantageous for profile. And profile is advantageous in a crowded, cacophonous world. IWM: Both the Times of London and the Financial Times announced major moves in their respective print and online operations last week. The FT’s
