Upon reading the article by Chuck Moozakis, of Newspaper & Technology it becomes more clear that the industry surrounding newspapers is due to change forever. The real question is “Is this really a doomsday prophesy?” We believe not. What successful industry remains stagnant? We believe that ultimately all successful industries continuously transform their product to remain attractive to their target market. They create new products and target new demographics to buy their products. The only clear direction is one of change. The newspaper is not going to vanish, but neither will it be the same when this economic cycle turns for the better.
Newspapers are going to have to continue to operate lean and look for every opportunity to cut costs and increase margin. Newspapers are going to have to continue to explore new market sectors and pattern products to the readership. And yes newspapers are going to have to look to consolidations in production to allow their “capital iron” investments to work to their full potential.
The key to these resolutions is that, as an organization that serves the newspaper industry, it is more important that ever to listen to our benefactors and be prepared to offer innovative approaches to respond to their changing needs.
Change is constant and it is possible to make Lemonade out of these Lemons.
– Todd Heirls