fewer print editions?
One interesting suggestion from a suburban editor said the Star should consider publishing fewer print editions - his reason being that ink on paper is no longer the best way to report breaking news. The Web site and radio station/podcast, on the other hand, would be updated several times each day.
Let's say the Star were to stop doing a paper edition on Fridays (traditionally our lowest-circulation day). Would this drive readers/listeners and advertisers to the Web, or would we simply lose most of our audience for a day? What if we did it on another weekday instead?
If we were to try this, maybe initially we'd load up online features and special ads one day a week, then promote it heavily in the paper, with flyers, on buses, whatever. Build that audience for a few weeks before pulling the plug on print that day?
Your thoughts?
posted by Jim Killam @ 12:42 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Perhaps see what the readers think?
Agreed. I think at this point we'd simply lose a day's audience. But maybe when our Web presence and awareness gets a lot stronger, it's something to think about. It depends on readers' habits, too. Within a couple of years, I wonder how many students will be carrying iPods or some such device where they could grab the paper (podcast?) anywhere on campus via wireless Internet. - jim
Jim! You're blogging now, I love it. While an interesting theory, publishing less print editions, is that possible scenario a solution to a problem now, or an early preview of what may end up happening to many newspapers years from now. It's good to see that Star editors are thinking about ways to market the newspaper, because they're on task with what everyone is doing, too. We had a meeting last week to discuss the newspaper industry as a whole (circulation decline, layoffs, etc.) What I've seen happening at the Star the past several years is something many newspapers haven't caught onto yet: developing new "niche" products to boost the financial backbone of the company and tie in the reputation of the newspaper. The Times launched a new magazine two months ago that's distributed from Chicago all the way up to Michigan. While it might not directly help newspaper circulation numbers, it helps boost the newspaper's name.
I think one of the key plans to continue to build things at the Star is looking for new products to market. Would a more magzine-tabloidish type publication work better? The Post-Dispatch in St. Louis I know publishes a Sunday tab in addition to their regular paper.
Would decreasing the number of days the Star comes out benefit the readers? Maybe, maybe not. Sure there are days with low numbers, but forcing someone to have to look at ads/editorial on the computer when they are at lunch, dinner, on the bus, or at class (god forbid) where they might not have access to a computer might be an issue.
Here's an idea (you said it was OK to throw wild ones up here) ... what if the Star didn't produce a print edition in the summer, only had an online version ... it'd probably save money in terms of cost of production. In terms of generating ad revenue, advertisers still would be able to put ads on the site.
-Mark-
I think dropping the Friday paper would be risky at first. It would take a lot to tell the students and the staff, but in time they would visit the website if they really wanted to know what is going on at NIU/DeKalb.
I think it all comes down to the ads though. We need to generate more on-line ads before we even think about dropping Friday's paper. Draw in more locals for ads because right now the only people who really read the on-line edition are parents and alum.
Jim, I think I have more questions than answers at this point, but I think that is where things need to be focused at this time.
First, does there really need to be so much emphasis on the online page? Sure, this is where some people access the paper, but it's not the majority. Second, you would need a larger online staff working around the clock to get a comprehensive and up-to-date website out continuously. (The minute you miss for a few days, people stop going there to get thier NEWS, and that's what you want correct.) Outside of previous staff members, it's also quite a stretch to ask college kids to maintain such a calibur site as a secondary focus.
Next, money is the bottom-line, I'm sure. This is something I've been noticing for a while and the advertising dept. needs to take an about-face and create serious client-ad campaigns for clients. Solution: the ad dept. needs to make an attempt to change the seat of the pants saling that took place when I was there. (I resend, if this is changed!)
This I see as being the most essential part, because you don't want to lose the biggest thing that the heart of your audience looks for, what to do on the weekend in DeKalb and more than likely not printing on Friday would destroy your credibility with the people you're supposed to be serving, the students.
This brings me to the most important point: the students. This is something the campus community can touch, feel and show their accomplishments to eachother. (Essential, podcasts aside, you're marking history of an institution and students want to be able to see the ongoing changes on their campus in print w/o the chance of missing it.) Maybe a new look would help, but more importantly the content needs to address the people you want to read it. More importantly, start making groups on campus feel like they're a part of the Northern Star and not critiqued by this group of students. (Reader forums should be next to none, not more than one in a semester, such as the past.) Maybe create a Friday/Weekend campus guide or something as a special supplement that addresses weekend activities and goings-ons of the such for the whole campus, with such things as i.e. "A Greek Corner", etc (And for goodness sake, get the Convo involved somehow, that million dollar structure is just wasting away and the Star could really help generate some good press for them, don't advertise, report about the Convo and not just the events that happen there, but make people want to go, i.e. you can get really sweet hot-dogs, etc. -- You get the point.
Don't lose the news, but seriously address what makes the page. Stories on mold don't warrant 50".
If space is an issue because of money, you must maximize and make the most of your inches.
This biggest thing is changing the way you present the information without the reader being able to detect a new action taken towards them, crafty packaging. But, whatever the paper does, create a style and stick to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know college is a time to experiment, but if the reader doesn't recognize you from day-to-day, or doesn't understand what they are reading or looking at then you've lost the initial battle and circulation is the least of your worries now.
These are just a few things off the top of my head that could help with your circulation issues, get the students overly interested again and the circulation will take care of itself. (i.e. Get students out in the community spending money, the advertisers will put money into the Star again.)
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