In my last blog I commented about the failure of the newspaper in Denver, and discussed how we'll all have to start relying increasingly on news from additional sources – such as blogs. Then I went on to comment about how easy it is for a business to miss a market shift – just as the newspapers have. They could have invested more in .com sites and bloggers for the last decade – but didn't because they kept thinking their market would return to the old ways of behaving.
I would like YOUR COMMENTS. This blog tends to be my rants about all the things I see wrong in industries and companies – with the occasional catch of someone doing something right. But I would really enjoy hearing more about what all of you think. So, building on the newspaper blog, I would really enjoy having people comment along a couple of tracks:
- How do you get your news? Are you still using newspapers a lot, or not? Do you think newspapers will remain important, or not? If you're starting to use the web more for news – where do you find information that is valuable? Where do you get important news?
- Do you think your business is soft – or do you think perhaps your market is shifting and therefore will require
changes in your Success Formula to be successful in the future? How much of your business issues are due to the market, and how much are do to market shifts? Could you be in the position newspapers were in 2000 without admitting it?
I look forward to hearing from you. Please comment here on the blog, you don't have to register. Or send me your comments via email.
Adam,
I’m still a bit of a dinosaur; I enjoy reading the newspaper and browsing through the pages. Here in Chicago, it’s been a great way to follow the politcal adventures.
Having said that, I know newspapers are doomed. My colleagues have stopped reading the newspaper and discontinued their subscriptions. The economic crisis has forced companies to look for more efficient advertising outlets — and they are never coming back. The historical business model is in tatters.
My question is who will pick up the watchdog function in our society? Newspapers’ investigative reporting have uncovered numerous scandals and provided the condensed detail necessary to stay abreast of local happenings. Who will have the platform and medium to cover these issues in the future?
I agree with your opinion that most newspapers are generally in the Swamp and headed into oblivion as viable businesses. My children, both of whom are under 25, do not read newspapers, nor do their friends; they all get their news on line.
I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal and several business magazines as I have done for many years. I turn to CNBC.com, WSJ.com and MarketWatch.com for much of my business news during the work day.
As a business owner, I found your book very informative and timely and I have donated several copies to university classes where I am a guest lecturer. However, I am very concerned with the general atmosphere in the political arena today toward small businesses; as we create the majority of jobs in our economy, I feel that the stimulus package should have included more provisions for small businesses. Perhaps the most effective move might have been to reduce the corporate tax rate from 35% down to 15 or 20%, as such a move would enable small business owners to invest that money immediately into their businesses, creating jobs and enabling us to purchase computers, equipment, etc.
I stopped reading newspapers 10 years ago or so. Now I get my news from the net & cable news channels.
In Dallas/Ft. Worth the two dailys have both just raised the single issue cost to $1.00 which will probably help decrease readership.
wow………..