Monday, March 30, 2009

Detroit Free Press Goes Digital

Papers all over the country are scrambling to find ways to cut costs and remain in business during these difficult economic times. The Detroit Free Press has been a pioneer in the newspaper industry for a long time, so it was no surprise to me when it took an innovative approach to continuing the dissemination of daily Detroit news. Starting today, the Free Press will only deliver actual papers on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (http://www.freep.com/article/20090329/FREEPRESS/903290365/1199/PRINT/On+eve+of+change++we+thank+readers). On the other days, there is a website that subscribers can get their news from. Readers can also get the paper through regular mail and at newstands and stores.
When my grandparents first heard the news, they were furious! For as long as I have known them, neither one starts their day without a cup of coffee and reading the paper cover to cover. The elderly population was one of the most vocal about the dislike in the transition. Even as a person from a much younger generation, I must admit there is something about picking up a paper in the morning and having something I can read in between classes or during meals. The issue of online journalism has been a consistent concern in many of my blog posts, but this is one of the few examples of an entire media outlet going online in a major way. I took a look at the paper today, and I admit, it looks exactly like the actual Free Press and is very easy to navigate, but it doesn't have the same feelings as holding an actual paper. I also wonder what will make readers subscribe to this new site when they can still get the news for free? For those who are loyal to the paper and care about it being in business, I think some of that population will pay the money. But for the remaining people who are forced to go online anyway for the news, will they actually be willing to pay more for the same news in a different layout? My mind tends to think this won't be the case.
Detroit is one of the few cities to have two daily newspapers still in existence. I am curious to see what changes the Detroit News will make, if any. It will be THE daily paper on days when only the online edition is available for the Free Press. I am excited that this paper has found a way to remain afloat while still providing news content to interested readers, but the question in the back of my mind is whether this will just stall time until the inevitable. How long will our city remain a two paper town, and will the online edition even reach the dwindling audience that continues to get news from their local papers? I definitely think this is innovative, but I'm unsure on how local Detroiters will receive this new paper, and if the online edition will create any much needed revenue for our local newspaper.

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