Tom Mohr has written an excellent piece about newspapers and the challenges they face online for Editor & Publisher. He words are clear.
Newspapers must win online, or face a future of painful contraction.
Mohr’s words are in contrast to those of Australian newspaper executives who, in recent weeks, have told us all is well.
The low rumble of shifting ground is palpable. Not only is the shift towards online; it is, in tandem, a shift away from print. Not dramatic yet, perhaps—but clear. And the impacts continue to ripple.
He eloquently tugs at the ‘mission’ of newspapers and calls all involved into action against the forces challenging newspapers today.
I believe newspapers’ social purpose—the building of civil society in cities and towns across America through the daily output of good journalism—is worth fighting for.
The article is long but essential reading to everyone earning an income from newspapers. Mohr is blunt with his views.
Newspaper industry leaders are frogs in a pot. The water’s starting to boil, and it’s time to jump. Only 19 percent of 18-34 year olds read a daily newspaper; 44 percent of them go to a web news portal. Broadband penetration has reached 57%. The blogosphere is doubling every 5 ½ months. Search provides instant access to the world’s information. User-generated content has turned the authority model of institutional media on its head. Peer-to-peer networks, tag clouds and reputation engines are fundamentally changing how people engage with content and communications.
Australia is a long way from the US. Here, unfortunately, we are not seeing commentary from publishers even close to that from Mohr and others.