Giving Away the Word Store
I just finished reading The 10 Major Newspapers That Will Either Fold or Go Digital Next – TIME.
Sigh. Time isn’t missing the irony that I read this on its Web site. It linked me here –How to Save Your Newspaper – TIME — next, in double irony, a story about, among other things, the danger of hyperlink to the print-based world of yore.
Why does it matter? Aren’t I the exact example of someone who consumes news/info/WORDS online and loves it – quicker, faster, sleeker? Yes.
And yet…
I will NEVER buy a Kindle. Nev. er.
I hate the idea of them (sorry amazon), the idea of not being able to pick up my dad’s college copy of Emerson when I study Transcendalists in college, reading and writing over, around, and alongside the notes he took. Handing off my favorite childhood book to a new kid friend. In the same way, I would never advise fellow writers or readers to edit anything be it a two line blog post or a dissertation online only. You must read the printed word. Outloud preferably.
In the above article, Isaacson mentions, that actually the problem is not readers.
There is, however, a striking and somewhat odd fact about this crisis. Newspapers have more readers than ever. Their content, as well as that of newsmagazines and other producers of traditional journalism, is more popular than ever — even (in fact, especially) among young people.
The problem is that fewer of these consumers are paying. Instead, news organizations are merrily giving away their news.
Giving. It. Away.
Why does it matter, to me, personally? Sure, because I have friends hurt directly and friends of friends. And more, because I love this former profession, still vocation, deep in my heart and my soul.
Maybe you do, too. Maybe you don’t.
The tension between the business and the news of journalism has always existed. But, in its simplest form, you can’t have one without the other. This online addict will be resubscribing to some of my favorite publications in the next few days. Just don’t use my checks to create newspaper kindles… please?
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erin*carly said,
Wrote on March 11, 2009 @ 11:36 am
i also read these articles . . . the first burned, but with the second, i feel there is hope. someone will catch on. i’d totally pay for my news. we SHOULD pay for our news. people write these things. and take the photographs. giving goods away for free is insane.
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WW says: @erincarly: I know. I just think… there’s such a natural tension for information providers – how much is a teaser and how much is too much? I know I felt this even working at much “lesser” (okay, no quote marks needed) publications – where we were selling a high-end product but providing online “news briefs” – I cared more about getting the news out and fast(est) – in today’s world and in the mainstream media, that must be even more true… but you’re right, we SHOULD pay. and yet… even i don’t… unless forced. i guess
[F]oxymoron said,
Wrote on March 11, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
I agree with you 100% when it comes to manually scratching out words on that old technology – paper. It makes a difference.
I have mixed media feelings when it comes to the development of news models.
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WW says: yah, me too, foxy. its complicated 😉 .
[F]oxymorons last post: A Boring Corner Story
Susan Helene Gottfried said,
Wrote on March 12, 2009 @ 11:56 am
I’m not an Amazon fan, so you won’t see me with a Kindle anytime soon, either.
As for giving stuff away… it’s interesting. Authors have proven that giving things away for free actually does increase sales. So where did the newspapers go so wrong in this new media age???
Susan Helene Gottfrieds last post: Thursday Thirteen: Read an E-Book Week!