VentureBeat - Latest Comments in Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Re: Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Dennis D. McDonald — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:30:34 -0000

I have to agree with a lot of what Mohr says, especially his comments about standardization and consolidation. What's happened in newspapers has happened in other industries -- consumption habits evolve and traditional industries get hit with newcomers taking advantage of newer technology, processes, and lower costs. Here's my own review of his article:
http://www.ddmcd.com/newspa...

Re: Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Michael Urlocker — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:38:02 -0000

I disagree with the Manifesto's overall theme. It seems more like an approach to cram the new disruptive innovation (online opportunities) onto yesterday's processes and cost structure.

Cramming has a very high risk of failure and typically follows these steps:

* Dismiss the new innovation as inferior or incomplete initially;
* Improve the new innovation to their higher standards;
* Graft the innovation, once it is good enough, onto their current products;
* Maintain current business model;
* Maintain current business processes.

Newspaper publishers can step out of the muck of the Online Manifestor and consider only four simple questions, inspired by a clear-thinker:

* What is it that information consumers value and pay for?
* What do newspaper companies need to become to deliver that?
* What will we do about it?
* If the newspaper business is dead/dying, why is Metro International expanding and gaining share in 21 countries?

More details on disruption of the media at:

http://www.ondisruption.com...

Re: Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Howard Rauscher — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:50:02 -0000

The Economist cover story from a week ago was on this same subject.
http://www.economist.com/op...

Re: Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Tom Hayes — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 11:47:15 -0000

Newspapers!? I don't have time to read thi

Re: Newspapers can’t innovate — need “Switzerland Inc.” to survive

Don Dodge — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 10:21:23 -0000

In the past I subscribed to Forbes, Fortune, Inc, Red Herring, Venture, Computer World, Computer Reseller News, Byte, and Time. I also subscribed to The Wall Street Journal and my local newspaper. Now I subscribe to none of them. I get my news online.

At its peak in 2000, The San Jose Mercury News had a Sunday circulation of 326,839 subscribers, according to the newspaper. Last September, the company counted 278,470 Sunday subscribers, a drop of about 15 percent. Revenue from the company's help-wanted ads fell to $18 million a year from more than $118 million, according to the paper. The newsroom was whittled to 280 people from 404, a 30 percent decline.

Magazines are probably in the same boat, especially those that focus on the younger generation and technology savvy people. I wrote a blog on this subject today.
http://dondodge.typepad.com...