Much of the world, including many journalists, has misinterpreted the current state of the newspaper business. Yes, print subscribers have declined for most newspapers, including this one.
But the information distributed by newspapers, including this one, is reaching more people than ever before. The Internet and other platforms of communication are not the enemies of local news organizations; they’re powerful tools.
The problem to be solved is how can newspapers make the distribution of news through websites and other modes profitable. At first blush to you, the consumer, this may seem like a nefarious goal. You may be getting news about the Madison County area free from our website now. Why would you want to pay for it?
Well, I suppose that in the long run, if you’re not paying at least a little bit for it, the organization that gathers and distributes the news — The Herald Bulletin — will have fewer and fewer resources to draw on to provide that news to you.
Our news staff today is smaller than it was a decade ago. Hustle as we may to give you the same level of news coverage, the business model simply can’t sustain a daily print product with as many pages as before.
Thankfully, we have all of these new tools to deliver the news to you in more and faster ways. While the print edition is still the favorite mode of accessing local news for the majority of local consumers, other platforms are gaining fast in popularity.
Newspapers have been notoriously stodgy organizations. Vestiges of past print dominance resulted in an institutional arrogance and resistance to change. Those vestiges still linger in newsrooms across the country, including ours.
But we have to change, and changing we are. Within the past year or so, our website has been re-designed and expanded and we’ve begun offering news e-mails and sms messages. And we’re engaging readers through Twitter and Facebook.
Within the next several months, we hope to offer live streaming video (to add to current video, photo galleries and audio slideshows) as well as smart phone and iPad apps and an enhanced online version of our print pages. Some of these features might be free, but some might require a fee.
Newspapers across the industry are changing their areas of emphasis, reorganizing staff and focusing on digital news distribution to match the changing needs and wants of consumers. USA Today, which greatly influenced the direction of the news industry when it was launched 28 years ago, recently announced a staff reorganization. The bad news is that the nationwide publication will lay off 130 employees. The good news is that the staff will be re-geared to focus on the development of digital media to keep up with demand in the marketplace.
At home here in Madison County, we realize that the daily print edition will continue to be the main course of our local news delivery. But we’re determined to develop a buffet of digital products to give you the news when you want it and how you want it.
Editor Scott Underwood’s column appears Mondays. Contact him at scott.underwood@heraldbulletin.com or 640-4845.
Columns
Scott Underwood: Re-gearing for digital delivery
- Columns
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Primus Mootry: Memorial Day should make us remember as well as connect
Memorial Day is past, but we should not forget to remember. And unless we more fully grasp our connection to the people of the world, we are lost.
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Jim Bailey: Build a better sneaker and you'll probably get sued
People who are gullible enough to fall for colorful and appealing advertising campaigns have an out: Sue the illegitimati.
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Maureen Hayden: Readers weigh in on low voter turnout
A couple of columns ago, I posed a question about why most Indiana polling places on primary election day had so few customers.
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Jim Bailey: Jim Carter made football a respectable sport at AHS
When I first came to Anderson in 1951, Jim Carter had been named head football coach at Anderson High School. At that time, football at AHS was little more than an activity to get out of the way to make room for basketball season. The Indians were known to play two games in the same week to shorten the season.
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Scott Underwood: Help us with book about local athletes
Over the years, Madison County has been blessed with more than its share of extraordinary athletes. Through their feats on the field of play, they’ve brought us excitement and inspiration.
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Howard Hewitt: 'Pink' wines growing in popularity
Those silly looking pink wines in your favorite wine shop or liquor store are gaining respect through robust sales.
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Nancy Vaughan: Tomorrow starts today
The United Way of Madison County's 2011 annual report seeks to recognize the individuals and organizations that contribute their resources to support investments and activities to increase the education, income and health of all who call Madison County home.
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'Big Joe' Clark: Problem isn’t the cost of education, but its quality
We must spend less time focusing on how to bring the price of an education down and more time figuring out how to bring up the quality of that education.
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Maleah Stringer: Not everyone is an animal lover
Not everyone is an animal lover and they should not have to be around animals if they do not want to be. It’s on the same line as the fight between smokers and non-smokers.
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Verna Davis: Church and state — separation or silence?
It’s time we realize, as Charles J. Chaput says, that “exiling religion from civic debates separates government from morality...That road leads to politics without character.” It’s time we realize that it’s time to speak up. The future of our country depends on our doing just that.
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