Check KING-TV's UP FRONT this week!

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I am a fan of UP FRONT regardless of topic ... but I think many of you will find this week's show interesting. Deals with future of newspapers, given imminent challenges of P/I (and Chronicle, etc.). Talks about how P/I moving to online, Stranger survives because their model is different than dailies, regional neighborhood papers doing yet a different thing.

But the most striking comment to me...Frank Bethen of the Times saying for last twenty-plus years most newspapers were purchased as a corporate asset. The owners stopped treating the newspapers as a COMMUNICATIONS tool and only focused on the corporate financial issues. As a result, most papers did not position themselves to realign with changing surroundings of media competition and now scrambling to scrape by.

Interest in papers is still strong, but SUPPORT of them is not.

Corporate ownership? declining audience?
Sorry...maybe I shouldn't be posting THOSE issues on a RADIO board.

 

[swhyde1980]

I am a fan of UP FRONT regardless of topic ... but I think many of you will find this week's show interesting.  Deals with future of newspapers, given imminent challenges of P/I (and Chronicle, etc.).  Talks about how P/I moving to online, Stranger survives because their model is different than dailies, regional neighborhood papers doing yet a different thing.

But the most striking comment to me...Frank Bethen of the Times saying for last twenty-plus years most newspapers were purchased as a corporate asset.  The owners stopped treating the newspapers as a COMMUNICATIONS tool and only focused on the corporate financial issues.  As a result, most papers did not position themselves to realign with changing surroundings of media competition and now scrambling to scrape by.

Interest in papers is still strong, but SUPPORT of them is not. 

Corporate ownership?  declining audience? 
Sorry...maybe I shouldn't be posting THOSE issues on a RADIO board.

Well, as an advid reader of radio-info.com, during these tough times I sometmes think the message board should position itself as a "mass-media" discussion board.

I think what it comes down to, is that people are getting their news, over the Internet.  And with these tough economic times, people may not be able to afford even getting a newspaper subscription, let alone buying from the newstands.  The unfortunate side-effect, is that even online publications, people won't be able to get for free soon enough.

If the economic downturn keeps going where it's going, eventually all sources of "free news" will get eliminated for local community news.  No one anywhere will know what is going in in their local community or around the world.  It'll all be up to "volunteer" sources (like younewstv.com) to provide local news to their community.

But with the economic situation as it is, it might ultimately be up to "us" to provide more local news to people.  Like the "average Joe on the Internet" reporting on a fire or something a mile away from where they live.  With the Internet and economy as it is today... there's plenty of "open volunteer" opportunities for people to report news online through various websites, to get the word out.

I have always thought, ever since the P-I announced their sale and impending "closure", that it would result in "closure" or "online-only" operations.  I think the P-I should turn itself over to a "online-only" news source.  Maybe only have 1-3 papers a week, and let it be a paper that the "general public" can do stuff with.... maybe like, anything posted from the public, be posted in the paper 1-2 times a week, besides an online edition.  Yes, I know it would result in layoffs of employees, as expected in this time of crisis.  But maybe it can keep itself alive, by having "volunteer" news gatherers, publishing stuff over the Internet, and also to put into the "published form".

I guess i'm also saying, turn the Seattle P-I, into an "Open-Source" paper, in programmer-terms.  A paper (at least temporarially until economic times improve), that is all done through a "volunteer" source.

In all the meantime, Seattle Times could be all done through professional reporters and stuff (maybe hiring up some people from the P-I), but keep around the P-I, as a newspaper with news delivered by volunteer sources over the Internet (or writing by snail-mail).  I think this is one way to keep the P-I alive.  Of course it's not it it's "original form", but at least keep it around, until times approve.

What do you all think?? A "Seattle P-I" paper that is kept alive by volunteer sources, over the Internet??

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I think there are some good nuggets there. An online-version of P/I would excite me a lot (if done the way I perceive) as it means they MIGHT still keep veteran reporters who have clout and know how to keep an eye on politicians, etc. Then if they want to fill THAT with some community-level "free stringer" support, it might be enough to be interesting.

Unfortunately I haven't subscribed to the P/I for years .... but like reading the interesting stuff online. So I want to support the people who gather the news...keep them employed; but would suffer no heartburn if the printed page no longer takes out my front window. P/I had (and I haven't checked to see if "still") started down the road of having community sections on their web site ... one of the best moves I had seen.

If they add a front-end so we can select which columnists/topics are important and have the online version filter that content + any necessary supporting ads, I'd be all over it. I subscribe to the Times NOT for timely news; but for the in-depth and feature pieces they do about what's going on in the community. If they didn't deliver classifieds, sports, national news, movie times, etc. I wouldn't miss a beat. Saves them $$ and saves me time. Win-win.

I am doing experiments with community-level newsgathering so would be interested to see what pans out in your comments and feedback!

 

[swhyde1980]

It would be a very beneficial thing to the community, if this became the case.  Although that would mean in newsstands the P-I would be VERY thin compared to it's current publication.  It would I guess be a way to keep the P-I (at least by name) alive.  And eventually when times improve in the future they'd be back to their current format.  The Seattle P-I from what i've been reading, has some history in the area (and look no further than the spinning P-I globe, even visible from the Seattle-Bremerton Ferry).  As a plus, a volunteer-based newspaper would give some people practice on Journalism skills, which could be used elsewhere, especially in these times where new skills are needed for alot of people.  Maybe even online have a system in which where anyone contributes a story, a ratings system for everyone to vote on how someone did in reporting a story (1-star to 5-star), like asking "how informed were you?"  Give some "future" Journalists some asperation, in presuing a job in that field.

And how many people pick up the P-I, compared to "The Stranger" or even "Real Change"?  A mostly-volunteer operation of the P-I could also benefit the "overlooked or outsider" or "homeless" population as well, in getting their news, words, and views out.  A recognizable name like the P-I, would most certainly be something these kind of people can take advantage of, if at least for a temporary time.

And we would I think all would like to keep Bill Virgin around as well...  I don't know what his future plans are as far as the impending closure of the P-I, but it would still be nice to keep his column around as well.

Of course also, this would also take some collaboration with the Seattle Times (whom share the same publication facilities) to help with a "print" version.

 

[formeraa]

There are definitely some good ideas in this thread. I'm glad to see people having a frank discussion with creative ideas being thrown around to save "The P-I" brand. Honestly, I think an online presence would be interesting but I wonder about the financial viability.

As a native Seattleite, I miss former retailers such as Frederick and Nelson's, Lamont's, Ernst Hardware, etc., but the bottom line was that they didn't have a viable business plan. Same thing for the P-I or is there a creative way to keep it going?

 

[searadiofreak]

All indications are pointing to most of the 170-180 employees being let go. Any on-line publication would likely run with a skeleton staff.

The way the P-I is handling this is somewhat interesting. They seem to be hinting at the closure without stating it. Almost like they are trying to make the impact less of a surprise. (unlike the Rocky Mountain News, where the news was sudden.)

From today's P-I:

Despite The Hearst Corp.'s statement Tuesday morning that it hasn't decided whether to sell or shut down the Seattle P-I, clues emerged later in the day suggesting that Hearst plans to close the 146-year-old paper shortly and will continue operating a Web site.

Staff members learned Tuesday afternoon that boxes and bins are scheduled to be delivered to the newsroom later this week -- some for materials to be taken home, others for notes that require shredding.

 

[Grindlfan]

All indications are pointing to most of the 170-180 employees being let go. Any on-line publication would likely run with a skeleton staff.

The way the P-I is handling this is somewhat interesting. They seem to be hinting at the closure without stating it. Almost like they are trying to make the impact less of a surprise. (unlike the Rocky Mountain News, where the news was sudden.)

From today's P-I:

Despite The Hearst Corp.'s statement Tuesday morning that it hasn't decided whether to sell or shut down the Seattle P-I, clues emerged later in the day suggesting that Hearst plans to close the 146-year-old paper shortly and will continue operating a Web site.

Staff members learned Tuesday afternoon that boxes and bins are scheduled to be delivered to the newsroom later this week -- some for materials to be taken home, others for notes that require shredding.

Sad. I also heard that employess were invited up to the roof for a last look at the iconic P.I. globe spinning a top the building. Kindle be damned.