Is the traditional Press on its last legs?

[tim2]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51608099

The Sun is losing circulation and money. Never mind, eh.

If this glorious example of the free press is in trouble, is there any future in this medium in its current form? I've not bought a newspaper in many, many years but it's probably my age group that's keeping them going.

[Oxford]

9 minutes ago, tim2 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51608099

The Sun is losing circulation and money. Never mind, eh.

If this glorious example of the free press is in trouble, is there any future in this medium in its current form? I've not bought a newspaper in many, many years but it's probably my age group that's keeping them going.

Yes it's the last few throws of the dice for the bastions of priviledge and I can't say I'm too sorry either, as a defensive wall for democracy they've been the equivalebt of a tissue left in the rain.

[gingerjon]

15 minutes ago, tim2 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51608099

The Sun is losing circulation and money. Never mind, eh.

If this glorious example of the free press is in trouble, is there any future in this medium in its current form? I've not bought a newspaper in many, many years but it's probably my age group that's keeping them going.

Used to buy a paper everyday and sometimes two on Sunday.

Haven't bought one for about ten years - and actually in many ways I do feel less informed - but the issue for me was that the printed press by then was starting to be far less about reporting and context and more just reprinting the clickbait comment that had already appeared online.

[Bedford Roughyed]

The Telegraph Has been reported to be trying all sorts of things to halt the fall in sales, from cutting margins to being placed in the magazine section of WHSmiths.

[JohnM]

In other news: Pope accused of being Catholic.

Here's some figures from July. 

https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/national-newspaper-abcs-guardian-sees-smallest-circulation-decline-for-july-2019/

[JohnM]

3 minutes ago, Bedford Roughyed said:

The Telegraph Has been reported to be trying all sorts of things to halt the fall in sales, from cutting margins to being placed in the magazine section of WHSmiths.

They should adopt the Guardian idea of begging from on line readers. 

[ckn]

Just now, JohnM said:

They should adopt the Guardian idea of begging from on line readers. 

They chose that way, the others chose the paywall method. Each to their own.

[The Future is League]

For what its worth i buy the Daily Mirror, Monday to Saturday and read it while I'm having my breakfast and then do the crosswords and the Sudoku.

[Bedford Roughyed]

1 minute ago, JohnM said:

They should adopt the Guardian idea of begging from on line readers. 

Not sure anyone claimed that the Guardian was bucking the trend...,

[JohnM]

Where did I claim that? 

[LeeF]

9 minutes ago, Bedford Roughyed said:

The Telegraph Has been reported to be trying all sorts of things to halt the fall in sales, from cutting margins to being placed in the magazine section of WHSmiths.

The Telegraph is trying to push readers to the online subscribers version.

It has increased the price of the paper edition and hides more content behind the paywall

WHSmiths are upset at the cover price going up but without them receiving more per copy sold. Also didn’t the free bottle of water with a copy of the Telegraph finish around the same time.

WHSmiths, by putting the Telegraph in the magazine section will be upsetting the magazine publishers who pay for their prominent display.  A bit of a childish spat all round

[LeeF]

Just now, JohnM said:

Where did I claim that? 

You didn’t.

Your sole crime was to mildly criticise, in some people’s eyes, the Guardian which is the last bastion against all things not of a certain thinking and also the favoured newspaper of the BBC

[ckn]

I used to read a physical paper every morning until quite recently, that changed when I started getting a free subscription of an online paper of my choice through one of the things I did a few years ago, I chose the Telegraph as it was the best quality of the pay walled papers at the time. That deal of mine ended last year but I’d already decided to get shot of the Telegraph as it was beyond parody in its shrill tabloid screeching in the chase for clickbait.  

I barely read the mainstream paid-for media these days, certainly not the print versions anyway, and once I’ve used my free articles on The Times, Telegraph and Scotsman I won’t go back until those free articles reset. I go to the Guardian more than the others, simply because it’s free, I even allow their adverts through my ad-blocker in “reward” of them keeping it free.

The Sun, if that went bust today I’d be delighted, beyond delighted, only tempered by the knowledge that folk would be out of a job.

[Private Baldrick]

The printed press has never been the same since the demise of the Daily Sport.

[JohnM]

From the FT: a couple of days go.
After talks to resolve the dispute, WHSmith and the Telegraph published a joint statement, which suggested the companies had come to an unspecified commercial arrangement. “The Telegraph will return to its usual position on news stands in all branches of WHSmith from this weekend,” read the statement.

BTW,  I think the Telegraph is up for sale..

More consolidation, here, too. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reach_plc

 

[gingerjon]

14 minutes ago, ckn said:

I used to read a physical paper every morning until quite recently, that changed when I started getting a free subscription of an online paper of my choice through one of the things I did a few years ago, I chose the Telegraph as it was the best quality of the pay walled papers at the time. That deal of mine ended last year but I’d already decided to get shot of the Telegraph as it was beyond parody in its shrill tabloid screeching in the chase for clickbait.  

I barely read the mainstream paid-for media these days, certainly not the print versions anyway, and once I’ve used my free articles on The Times, Telegraph and Scotsman I won’t go back until those free articles reset. I go to the Guardian more than the others, simply because it’s free, I even allow their adverts through my ad-blocker in “reward” of them keeping it free.

The Sun, if that went bust today I’d be delighted, beyond delighted, only tempered by the knowledge that folk would be out of a job.

In terms of online, the FT is worth paying for. It's not cheap by digital standards but it remains remarkably good at just focusing on the facts of something. There's also a surprising amount of depth away from that in features.

I also get the Economist in a digital only version. Mainly for their Espresso app. I did have a print version included but it was a waste of trees.

[ckn]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

In terms of online, the FT is worth paying for. It's not cheap by digital standards but it remains remarkably good at just focusing on the facts of something. There's also a surprising amount of depth away from that in features.

I also get the Economist in a digital only version. Mainly for their Espresso app. I did have a print version included but it was a waste of trees.

I've looked at the FT more than a few times but that cost is just too much to justify at >£300/year for the use I'd give it.

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, ckn said:

I've looked at the FT more than a few times but that cost is just too much to justify at >£300/year for the use I'd give it.

Like I say, it's not cheap and there have been times when I've thought about giving it the chop. But that cost is why it's as good as it is.

[Griff9of13]

11 minutes ago, ckn said:

I've looked at the FT more than a few times but that cost is just too much to justify at >£300/year for the use I'd give it.

I find that I manage to see the main articles that interest me on my free subscription.

[shrek]

I subscribe to The Week, but get it digitally, tend to pick a newspaper up if I've a gap in the work day or travelling, still love reading a traditional paper, but have fallen out of the daily habit.

[Farmduck]

My Dad worked at a newspaper so I grew up with them. I haven't bought a physical paper in over 10 years. I read ABC because it's the best for OZ coverage, except sport, and the Guardian because it's free. For actual news, the Guardian is OK. It's just the Opinion pages that sound like Titania McGrath tweets.

[Oxford]

We have to face it the traditional press has been the embarassing Uncle at every wedding for donkey's years.

[Saintslass]

I buy and read the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph every week and occasionally I buy a Daily Telegraph.  I also subscribe to the Telegraph online.  I have never read red tops; I've always been a broadsheet reader.  I read the Guardian online too but would never pay for it so if they go subscription then I'll stop reading it.  But I like to know what the opposition is saying (not that I can't guess most of the time!).

I'll be very sad when physical papers disappear, which unless young people suddenly discover a love of physical permanent stuff as opposed to digital disappearing stuff, is the way that its going for newspapers.  I still think at least some of them pull good numbers online; it appears to be the paper versions that are not doing so well.

 

[Oxford]

Personally I think they were done for the moment you couldn't wrap your chips in them, English recycling at its best.

 

[JohnM]

Always interesting to call in the local library to look at the archive of local papers going back many years. Browsable in a way that microfilm or digitised archives are not.