News Media vs. Internet Media

National and local newspapers around the world are facing the most radical restructuring in their history; scores are falling as advertisers migrate to online advertising. The cuts have led to hundreds of journalists being asked to clear their desks. Falling circulation and higher production costs are making matters worse, while a growing number of readers save time and money by reading their favorite newspaper online.

Today, reporters collect very little news content; most of what we read is freely downloaded from court reports and local authorities. A lot of it is editorial-advertising and product reviews. Why pay a journalist when you can charge an advertiser? Another threat to mainstream journalism is that posed by citizen journalists; freelancers who offer their services in exchange for opportunities to attract potential customers.

Few doubt the superiority of online newspapers compared to hard copy. The online edition of the average newspaper contains a lot of information and advertising; a builder’s plow could not hope to carry it in a wheelbarrow if it were printed. It is not the Internet that threatens the career of journalists; it is the nature of change. They are also learning to adapt.

The Internet news revolution

News organizations are still profitable, but their owners have seen the writing on the wall. As High Street retailers transform to online shopping, the newspaper industry knows that newspapers distributed by hawkers and newsagents, subsidized by online profits, will follow typewriters into the dark. The dilemma facing the industry is how best to profit by charging the browsers that access their online editions.

Printing and distribution costs are crippling print news editions; the costs of online copies are comparatively low. Online newspapers do not have space problems and deadlines are not an issue. The news is almost immediate and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, in a competitive market driven by clicks, online news outlets increasingly rely on investigative and challenging journalists, columnists, and event analysts.

rupert murdoch

If a charge is imposed, the trick will be to prevent readers of each newspaper from migrating to the free editions online. Under the radar, discussions are already taking place. Topping the agenda is the quest to discover the most practical means of getting readers to pay for the content on their PC screen without losing them. News mogul Rupert Murdoch already charges a subscription to access the Wall Street Journal’s insider’s copy. He says: “People read free news on the web; that has to change.”

It was recently announced that the mogul won a grant from Google to limit access to free news reports. It’s called slamming the door before the horse bolts. Associated Press editor Tom Curley agrees: “Readers and viewers will have to pay more.” Others argue that viewers simply won’t pay. The truth is that no one knows, since no one has been there before.

A Spanish journalist shows the way

One aspirant to online media is Arcadi Espada, a Catalan journalist. He is sure that print journalism has no future. He will access his Factual online through an annual subscription of 50 EUR. With his characteristic frankness, Espada says: “The work of a journalist is not free, nothing in life is free. We have to reinvent the business.”

According to a survey, 60 percent of newspaper owners are considering ways to charge for online access. A quarter of them are ready to take the plunge. Those who collect their daily news and information from online newspapers now make up 30 percent.

hot off the press

Of the more than 20 million users of the UK Times and Sunday Times, 500,000 now rely on their online edition and the gap will close further. Plans are already in place to charge for the privilege of reading online editions of the Times. Freelance journalist Sandy Collins doesn’t see a problem or fear for his work. “Some of my best stories have been written in blue pencil in print newspapers because with limited space available, the advertiser is king. Publishing online is a no-brainer. Everyone wins.”

He adds: “Newspaper owners’ costs are reduced and their readers reach worldwide audience potential. As a journalist, I now submit my material to my publishers online, knowing that if it doesn’t get published, it’s not a space issue. If the work is accepted on merit, then of course this should improve the quality of the news. It should also improve opportunities for writers.”

Collins says the owner of his online newspaper has an insatiable appetite for rapid turnover of quality and originality. “He wants my opinion on breaking news now, not next week or next month. What I produce in the morning is read by the public hours later. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. A recent report of mine had 7,000 readers within hours of being deleted.” The printed copy has gone the way of typewriters. Typewriters! What are typewriters? ©