The reports of a change in home delivery arrangements for two newspapers in detroit have proved to be accurate. The Detroit News overnight announced details of their new newspaper home delivery model. I say this is a seismic shift because it will result in more newspaper publishers thinking outside the square. For example, if it works in detroit (or even looks like it might work) others will follow.
The US home delivery model is quite different to here. Publishers carry considerably more of the costs and penetration (efficiency) is not as good as we see in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide – three strong cities for home delivery. That said, I am sure that bean counters within newspaper publishers are watching the action in Detroit intently.
Home delivery of newspapers has a high cost. Just ask most newsagents who receive no clip from advertising. Now is the time for people representing newsagents to be on the front foot, considering Detroit and other models which may be more appropriate for newsagents and publishers in providing a home delivery service.