Comments on: Beecher: Can quality newspapers find their niche? http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/ now with extra source Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:00:38 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Chris Sanderson http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8729 Chris Sanderson Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8729 I would just add:<br /><br />The need for integrity, which has been missing from the main media for far too long.<br /><br />Total independence from corporate and political influence and spin.<br /><br />Inteligent and well informed contributors who can also write well. I would just add:

The need for integrity, which has been missing from the main media for far too long.

Total independence from corporate and political influence and spin.

Inteligent and well informed contributors who can also write well.

]]> By: John Wright http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8730 John Wright Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8730 The book "The Innovator's Dilemma" by Clayton M. Christensen, HBS Press 1997, explained through case studies as different as backhoes and computer disk drives how leading companies fail to adapt to disruptive [technological] changes. Newspaper, and other media companies, are failing for the same reasons. Unless they have very enlightened management who are able to lead their staff, companies and customers (readers) through these changes, the end is inevitable. The public manifestation of Fairfax management's decisions does not exhibit any signs that they are aware of the lessons written about by Christensen, and are so doomed to continuing leading their company and staff into the sorry end. When will they learn??? The book “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen, HBS Press 1997, explained through case studies as different as backhoes and computer disk drives how leading companies fail to adapt to disruptive [technological] changes. Newspaper, and other media companies, are failing for the same reasons. Unless they have very enlightened management who are able to lead their staff, companies and customers (readers) through these changes, the end is inevitable. The public manifestation of Fairfax management’s decisions does not exhibit any signs that they are aware of the lessons written about by Christensen, and are so doomed to continuing leading their company and staff into the sorry end. When will they learn???

]]> By: BurgerDee http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8731 BurgerDee Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8731 I'm under 30 and really enjoy reading a good newspaper with a range of interesting supplements on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Unfortunately I normally live in WA and acquiring a good newspaper is impossible, especially on a Sunday. At the moment I am in the UK, and yes UK newspapers are seeing their circulation numbers drop, but the quality of journalism and the range of stories is just so much better (in the newspaper I regularly read anyway) than what I can get in Australia. I think the problem with Australia, is there is a small number of papers who are trying to appeal to everyone, rather than having a target market. In the UK, papers know who they appeal to and stick with their target audience. Just think about the range of different audience types that each paper is trying to target: The Sun, The Daily Mail, The Times, The Guardian etc, each one relatively distinct. In WA however, we have 1 paper trying to appeal to both the highest and lowest denominator and fails on both accounts. Its going to be hard when I do get back home, what am I going to read on my leisurely weekend mornings? I’m under 30 and really enjoy reading a good newspaper with a range of interesting supplements on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Unfortunately I normally live in WA and acquiring a good newspaper is impossible, especially on a Sunday. At the moment I am in the UK, and yes UK newspapers are seeing their circulation numbers drop, but the quality of journalism and the range of stories is just so much better (in the newspaper I regularly read anyway) than what I can get in Australia. I think the problem with Australia, is there is a small number of papers who are trying to appeal to everyone, rather than having a target market. In the UK, papers know who they appeal to and stick with their target audience. Just think about the range of different audience types that each paper is trying to target: The Sun, The Daily Mail, The Times, The Guardian etc, each one relatively distinct. In WA however, we have 1 paper trying to appeal to both the highest and lowest denominator and fails on both accounts. Its going to be hard when I do get back home, what am I going to read on my leisurely weekend mornings?

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8732 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8732 Quality newspaper, we're talking dead-tree type? I'd be interested, if it were weekly or monthly. Which is pointing to a form-factor more like the Bulletin was. For daily news there's online.<br /><br />Memo to online news services: don't bother with ads, we block them with firefox and or our hosts file.<br /><br />http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm<br /><br /> Quality newspaper, we’re talking dead-tree type? I’d be interested, if it were weekly or monthly. Which is pointing to a form-factor more like the Bulletin was. For daily news there’s online.

Memo to online news services: don’t bother with ads, we block them with firefox and or our hosts file.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

]]> By: kayt davies http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8733 kayt davies Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8733 Kevin Jones beat me to it.<br />I was going to add that this newspaper of the future sounds a lot like a magazine.<br /><br />Personally I love the idea of a mix of niche advertising and paying for content.<br /><br />My eyeballs are tired of being sold. Kevin Jones beat me to it.
I was going to add that this newspaper of the future sounds a lot like a magazine.

Personally I love the idea of a mix of niche advertising and paying for content.

My eyeballs are tired of being sold.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8734 Kevin Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8734 All healthy debate, but the irony of this is we're really talking more newspapers in what is a shrinking slice of the media. Newspapers in this country in the last year shed about 5%. The next year will be interesting to see if the "freefall" hits Australia. All industries adapt to change - newspapers, their content and their business model are not immuned. I have a very large vested interest in the future of newspapers, but not THE newspaper as you see it today, the content and parts of the business model. Yes,it will change, but the death of the newspaper is still a long way off. All healthy debate, but the irony of this is we’re really talking more newspapers in what is a shrinking slice of the media. Newspapers in this country in the last year shed about 5%. The next year will be interesting to see if the “freefall” hits Australia. All industries adapt to change - newspapers, their content and their business model are not immuned. I have a very large vested interest in the future of newspapers, but not THE newspaper as you see it today, the content and parts of the business model. Yes,it will change, but the death of the newspaper is still a long way off.

]]> By: Cathy http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8735 Cathy Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8735 Nothing is sillier than removing or avoiding the aim of your industry when you can't attain it. Which is what our mainstream media has been doing for years to appease print and electronic investors confined to near-enough productions that aren't. The conundrem facing our print, television and radio outlets now is how to claw back their DNA after shedding it for expedient profitability. We all stopped reading, listening and watching because communication became as predictably boring as porridge and yes, we're desperately in need of relevant interaction in a range of 'languages' on all sorts of levels. Outside of the ABC who wants to do that? Nothing is sillier than removing or avoiding the aim of your industry when you can’t attain it. Which is what our mainstream media has been doing for years to appease print and electronic investors confined to near-enough productions that aren’t. The conundrem facing our print, television and radio outlets now is how to claw back their DNA after shedding it for expedient profitability. We all stopped reading, listening and watching because communication became as predictably boring as porridge and yes, we’re desperately in need of relevant interaction in a range of ‘languages’ on all sorts of levels. Outside of the ABC who wants to do that?

]]> By: Annie http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8736 Annie Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8736 I stopped buying The Age at the same time as my Sydney family stopped buying The Sydney Morning Herald. Reason? Both newspapers became 'news pictorials' and pandered to the LCD to, apparently, increase circulation. For some time, I reluctantly persevered with The Age, but only because I owned an old, much-adored but diseased dog, who'd lost bladder control! If I do purchase a newspaper these days, it's likely to be The Australian, despite the fact that, on the whole, its editorial policy and columnists are most likely to have opinions inimical to my own. Still, I find current debate there, and can ignore the ferociously belligerent partisan views of most of its very ill-mannered and vulgar on-line respondents.<br /><br />I remember how very good The Age once was, with regret and nostalgia. I was prepared to continue to compost the pages which I didn't want but reluctantly paid for, if only the overall quality of news and commentary had survived. I stopped buying The Age at the same time as my Sydney family stopped buying The Sydney Morning Herald. Reason? Both newspapers became ‘news pictorials’ and pandered to the LCD to, apparently, increase circulation. For some time, I reluctantly persevered with The Age, but only because I owned an old, much-adored but diseased dog, who’d lost bladder control! If I do purchase a newspaper these days, it’s likely to be The Australian, despite the fact that, on the whole, its editorial policy and columnists are most likely to have opinions inimical to my own. Still, I find current debate there, and can ignore the ferociously belligerent partisan views of most of its very ill-mannered and vulgar on-line respondents.

I remember how very good The Age once was, with regret and nostalgia. I was prepared to continue to compost the pages which I didn’t want but reluctantly paid for, if only the overall quality of news and commentary had survived.

]]> By: Kevin Cox http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8737 Kevin Cox Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8737 All industries who face competition from innovators should read Christensens book. <br /><br />http://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060521996<br /><br />This gives the reasons why existing newspaper organisations have difficulty facing the future - and why it is so hard for them to compete and adapt. They know the problems but to succeed they have to "eat their own lunch" and that is hard.<br /><br />A few years on from Christensen's book the disk drive industry is about to disappear entirely with the development of solid state "drives". If you thought newspapers had a problem spare a thought for the people who know how to make small pieces of metal spin fast and reliably. All industries who face competition from innovators should read Christensens book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060521996

This gives the reasons why existing newspaper organisations have difficulty facing the future - and why it is so hard for them to compete and adapt. They know the problems but to succeed they have to “eat their own lunch” and that is hard.

A few years on from Christensen’s book the disk drive industry is about to disappear entirely with the development of solid state “drives”. If you thought newspapers had a problem spare a thought for the people who know how to make small pieces of metal spin fast and reliably.

]]> By: Anne Summers http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8738 Anne Summers Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8738 Eric<br />Why don't you start such a newspaper? As you say, the current proprietors will never be able to adapt to the concept, nor shed their absurb habits of lowest common denominatoring. I have long railed against the waste involved with the Saturday papers where I instantly shed more than half the paper - Sport, Drive, Employment, property, Travel. I would willingly pay more for a smaller paper that was informed, up to date and intelligent. The othe mistake the papers are making is their ruthless shedding of the one demographic that still reads newspapers, the baby boomers. They still have a good 20 years left in whcih to buy papers yet they are of no interest to today's editors who assume that if you fill the papers with young airheads then same will read you. Wrong.<br /><br />Eric, we are ready for it.<br />Anne Eric
Why don’t you start such a newspaper? As you say, the current proprietors will never be able to adapt to the concept, nor shed their absurb habits of lowest common denominatoring. I have long railed against the waste involved with the Saturday papers where I instantly shed more than half the paper - Sport, Drive, Employment, property, Travel. I would willingly pay more for a smaller paper that was informed, up to date and intelligent. The othe mistake the papers are making is their ruthless shedding of the one demographic that still reads newspapers, the baby boomers. They still have a good 20 years left in whcih to buy papers yet they are of no interest to today’s editors who assume that if you fill the papers with young airheads then same will read you. Wrong.

Eric, we are ready for it.
Anne

]]> By: John Bryan http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8739 John Bryan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8739 Good one Eric. I've resubscribed to The Economist after several years. The quality of language, brevity of the articles and depth of analysis are excellent. The only difficulty is finding time to read it. Good one Eric. I’ve resubscribed to The Economist after several years. The quality of language, brevity of the articles and depth of analysis are excellent. The only difficulty is finding time to read it.

]]> By: Fred S. http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8740 Fred S. Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8740 The yachting community has a grass roots paper that takes on some big issues in a very independent way. I haven't had a boat in years but I still read the free online version or pick up a paper when I can. <br /><br />The Coastal Passage is the paper. Web site is www.thecoastalpassage.com <br /><br />I've all but given up on the big print media. Either trying to flog some T&A or sell something via editorial. Lack of diversity has been very bad for the quality of Australian press. Good thing the web is filling the vacuum. The yachting community has a grass roots paper that takes on some big issues in a very independent way. I haven’t had a boat in years but I still read the free online version or pick up a paper when I can.

The Coastal Passage is the paper. Web site is http://www.thecoastalpassage.com

I’ve all but given up on the big print media. Either trying to flog some T&A or sell something via editorial. Lack of diversity has been very bad for the quality of Australian press. Good thing the web is filling the vacuum.

]]> By: Mary Garden http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8741 Mary Garden Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8741 Not sure how Annie, if she is reading the print Australian, is bothered by the "the ferociously belligerent partisan views of most of its very ill-mannered and vulgar on-line respondents". The latter are found on all online message boards, even Crikey; probably less with The Australian than elsewhere. I think the Australian is a fantastic newspaper. As is the Australian Financial Review, particularly its Friday Review section and Weekend editions.These two papers (one a News Ltd, the other Fairfax) show a commitment to plurality that other papers lack, including the SMH & The Age. Even though The Australian is regularly accused of right-wing bias, this is nonsense. Its opinion pages publish a balance of anti- and pro-articles on issues, whether it is "global warming', the Iraq intervention, etc. etc. Go and live in New Zealand for a while and see what they have to put up with. Yikes.<br /> Not sure how Annie, if she is reading the print Australian, is bothered by the “the ferociously belligerent partisan views of most of its very ill-mannered and vulgar on-line respondents”. The latter are found on all online message boards, even Crikey; probably less with The Australian than elsewhere. I think the Australian is a fantastic newspaper. As is the Australian Financial Review, particularly its Friday Review section and Weekend editions.These two papers (one a News Ltd, the other Fairfax) show a commitment to plurality that other papers lack, including the SMH & The Age. Even though The Australian is regularly accused of right-wing bias, this is nonsense. Its opinion pages publish a balance of anti- and pro-articles on issues, whether it is “global warming’, the Iraq intervention, etc. etc. Go and live in New Zealand for a while and see what they have to put up with. Yikes.

]]> By: dewey http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8742 dewey Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8742 Eric wants to run Fairfax. Gawd. Eric wants to run Fairfax. Gawd.

]]> By: Kevin Jones http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8743 Kevin Jones Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8743 Eric<br /><br />Hmmm?<br />"A leaner, bespoke newspaper that bristled with ideas and curiosity because it no longer had the requirement to appeal to a broad market. <br />A newspaper that treated news as the commodity it now is and built on the news with backgrounding, probing and analysis. <br />A newspaper with fewer pages, vastly less lifestyle and advertorial journalism and much more certainty about its place in the life of its (smaller) audience. <br />A newspaper that connected with the issues that mattered to its more defined universe of readers."<br /><br />I got it! <br /><br />A magazine.<br /><br />Kevin Jones Eric

Hmmm?
“A leaner, bespoke newspaper that bristled with ideas and curiosity because it no longer had the requirement to appeal to a broad market.
A newspaper that treated news as the commodity it now is and built on the news with backgrounding, probing and analysis.
A newspaper with fewer pages, vastly less lifestyle and advertorial journalism and much more certainty about its place in the life of its (smaller) audience.
A newspaper that connected with the issues that mattered to its more defined universe of readers.”

I got it!

A magazine.

Kevin Jones

]]> By: Julius http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/12/beecher-can-quality-newspapers-find-their-niche/#comment-8744 Julius Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-8744 I too gave up The Age - when the credit card number it had for me no longer worked because the expiry date had arrived. Completely painless. I can't go to all the funerals of old friends letting me down anyway and mostly I hear about Deaths soon enough not commit a faux pas. But would I buy the new Beecher model if I knew that it had to sell itself to a whole lot of public servants and academics with fashionable ideas? I would give it a try without much hope because the whole conception is of a vehicle for people who would like to be able to publish New Matilda or Australian Monthly or (with more substance) Quadrant, every day and let someone else do the fact finding. Maybe radio should be the vehicle for news and one would read a paper (probably that London tabloid/broadsheet cross) every morning to see whether the previous day mattered or whether one could ignore it. I too gave up The Age - when the credit card number it had for me no longer worked because the expiry date had arrived. Completely painless. I can’t go to all the funerals of old friends letting me down anyway and mostly I hear about Deaths soon enough not commit a faux pas. But would I buy the new Beecher model if I knew that it had to sell itself to a whole lot of public servants and academics with fashionable ideas? I would give it a try without much hope because the whole conception is of a vehicle for people who would like to be able to publish New Matilda or Australian Monthly or (with more substance) Quadrant, every day and let someone else do the fact finding. Maybe radio should be the vehicle for news and one would read a paper (probably that London tabloid/broadsheet cross) every morning to see whether the previous day mattered or whether one could ignore it.

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