Learn it! Speak it! Live it!
Bring Christmas to a child in need!
An 'urgency': Sensing threats to institutions of society, church leaders make declaration 
Click to Print
Include Comments
Seattle presses go silent
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is poised to produce its final print edition today and then become an Internet-only news source, making it the largest U.S. newspaper to take that leap thus far. Only about 20 people will run the newsroom that used to employ 165. The website will include less of the original reporting characteristic of the print edition and instead feature extensive commentary, advice, and links to other news sites.
The P-I lost $14 million last year, according to [the Hearst corporation], and its transition to an all-digital product will be closely watched in an industry that is fast losing revenue, is casting around for a new economic model and still relies on print for about 90 percent of its revenue. The company recently instructed all of its newspapers to look for ways to charge for digital content — on mobile devices, if not online.
“We clearly believe we are in a period of innovation and experimentation, and that’s what this new SeattlePI.comrepresents,” said Steven R. Swartz, president of Hearst’s newspaper division. “We think we’ll learn a lot, and we think the Seattle market, being so digitally focused, is a great place to try this.”
back to top12 Comments to “Seattle presses go silent”
The MSM dinosaurs are dying off. The agile nimble web-based “newspaper” is on the ascendance. A mixed bag here, no?
Report comment to moderator
It’s all going to become electronic. The problem is finding a way to generate revenue that way. People don’t like paying for online content and the few publications that have tried experimenting with paid content haven’t had success.
Most likely it’s going to ultimately be a model where advertisers bring in the revenue and the consumers get the product free, except maybe for highly-specialized B2B newsletters.
The problem is that editorial standards are secondary in all this. The Washington Post laid off a lot of it’s copy editors and, predictably, typographical errors, misspelled names and other errors that copy editors are responsible for have become more common in its pages. With fewer reporters on staff, publications are increasingly trying to repackage other people’s content as “elsewhere in the news” items, or various similar labels, but there’s a decreasing amount of original content, so the diversity of information diminishes.
Tough time for the industry.
Report comment to moderator
See, if I had a copy editor, my misuse of “it’s” above would have been corrected to “its.”
Report comment to moderator
Lest it be too obvious, this also means the end of print-subsidized digital sites. While information may want to be free, writers certainly don’t.
The economic model for news in the digital era is yet to be developed.
Report comment to moderator
SteveG is correct–in both posts.
The Post Intelligencer always was the “lesser” paper in Seattle, in my opinion. It still makes me sad that we’ve lost another voice in a large community. You may not have agreed with the editorial stance, but at least someone was covering the boring meetings so you didn’t have to go.
I know a lot of you are angry at newspapers and their writers, but they serve a valuable role in the community. Without them, we’re hampered in our ability to know what’s going on.
A sad day.
Report comment to moderator
I think World Mag is on the right track. They want to hire more folks, and do real reporting.
Meanwhile dinosaurs like Pelosi want to save the newspapers. If they don’t adapt to a changing market, then they’ll go away, just like the typewriter.
Report comment to moderator
I’m no big fan of the MSM, but this scares me a little bit. In-depth local news coverage is a good thing. My local paper recently did an investigative piece where they exposed that local cops frequently skip attending court, and that felons are being released because of it. One guy was released and killed someone. It might end up reforming the system, who knows.
Report comment to moderator
Small local papers who do good reporting are probably doing alright. There are a couple in our community that are doign well, because the paper is free, and they are doing good reporting, plus selling advertising pays their overhead and salaries. It works because it’s small.
Report comment to moderator
Thank you John M., you perceive rightly the dangers of newspapers vanishing — or not being able to pay decent salaries to hire & keep experienced and well-trained reporters.
And small papers are struggling, too. The entire industry is being rocked.
Report comment to moderator
Another lost liberal voice whoes ideology has failed and been thrown on the trash heap if other liberal faile ideas. It is a fine thing indeed but there are many more to come.
Report comment to moderator
As I pointed out the other day, it’s the business model and distribution method that’s doing newspapers in, not their ideology. Today’s newspapers are much less partisan and more professional than they were decades ago.
Due to the internet, a print newspaper is out of date before it even leaves the plant. Not to mention the expense of paper, ink, and distribution costs.
While I am sad to see the demise of the print edition of newspapers, I think it’s inevitable. I commend the PI for recognizing the future and adapting.
I am already adapting to reading the newspaper on my Kindle. I note that the PI is available on Kindle. I may give it a try.
Report comment to moderator
Local TV news broadcasts will be the next to downsize, consolidate, then fold up. Who needs 3-5 channels simultaneously saying the same thing (albeit with different hairstyles)?
Report comment to moderator
back to topJoin The Conversation
You need to be a registered user of WORLDonTheWeb.com to "join the conversation."
If you are not a member yet, what are you waiting for? Register / Login Now!