The High Road Papers - Latest Comments in Are Newspapers Dying?

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Croatia Holidays — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:40:54 -0000

Of course they are dying. They are almost dead. I still like them because they are slightly more handy to read when you're drinking coffee in a cafe, but even that won't last for long. And the news are always out of date when I read them.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Kate@Buy to let mortgage — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:47:28 -0000

Newspapers circulation has been falling for a while around the world. It is just yesterday I was reading about quite well known Scottish Newspaper struggling to make any profit. It not really surprising as we all now expect that news will be delivered to us almost immediately to our computer screen or mobile. Newspapers have to realise if they can adopt quickly, they will soon will be out of business.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Rafaat@Croatia apartments — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:33:21 -0000

Unlike most of you here I regularly read newspaper, because I don't feel comfortable looking at the monitor screen for hours, but again I doubt how long I can do this.
I guess the key reason for why most of us now don't read newspaper is because of the availability of other resources, and guess what they are more updated and cost effective also.
Here you cant generally blame newspaper editors or owners for this. With the cost of everything on the rise its is almost impossible to make newspaper cheaper. More importantly by its very nature you cant expect real time updates of news, which thanks to internet and other e-media we now have access to.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Brady Pevehouse @ Central Flor — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:15:46 -0000

While I admit I still get the paper, today it may have paid off. On occasion I write about an article in the paper that I might typically miss, b/c I would never willfully follow some of the writers that show up in our papers locally.

But today one of the better know writers, one who I agree with 90% of the time actually called me because he found a few of my blog postings.
After a 20 min conversation and thanking him for his time (why did I thank him, he called me?) but anyway I left the conversation worrying about what I said and maybe shouldn't have said........ but then I remembered, I don't always play it safe in my blog either. So I still consider it a win-win.

Much of my time in the paper now involves the opinion side. I still get most of my news elsewhere. But local newspapers still have there niche. Even if it is a small niche.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

cassiano travareli — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:22:40 -0000

It's not really common to read the newspaper. We have other resources, like the news on TV. The best place for a real estate person to write is on the net.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Nobel@SantaFeEstateBlog.com — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:52:13 -0000

Our local newspaper relied on real estate advertising as its main revenue until about a year ago. In the Santa Fe, NM real estate market, our clients generally shop for a realtor on-line long before they visit the city. The days of checking out print ads to find a realtor are over.

<abbr>Nobels last blog post..SANTA FE, NM REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Jim Gatos — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:27:05 -0000

I suspect the newspapers are a large source of negative articles against real estate agents 'cause we wised up and don't spend stupid money anymore. I used to pay over $3,000 a year on classifieds, some years I went up as high as $5,000. No more. Why should I? SSSSOOOOO many buyers now just go online, do their search, and it's over. Does anyone think there's a pattern of the newspapers slowly ganging up against the real estate profession and trying to embrace the do it yourself fsbo market ? Hmmm?

<abbr>Jim Gatoss last blog post..The Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 10 Day Sales Event.</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Jonathan Blackwell — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:59:30 -0000

What are newspapers? Are those the things that they throwdown before they dump the low country boil?

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Edge@Foreclosure and Credit Cr — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:59:42 -0000

Linsey,

I also like to sit down with a section of the paper when I'm eating lunch as it's a nice way to zone out for a while.

Problem is though, that I don't use 90% of the paper that day and 100% on the days I don't need it at all.

Like a bank, it would be nice if your subscription fees gave you uncluttered (by ads) web access and the OPTION for "paper statements" that would get delivered for a time period.

There may be weeks when I'm at home for a while, on vacation, etc. And I may want the paper coming so I can read it there. But normally, I have no time for it and as their business model doesn't support my reading habits currently, I just get it elsewhere *shrug*

<abbr>Edges last blog post..Property Taxes Going Up, MythBusters, Central Banks, and How Our Inflation Compares To Japan</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Gregory Bain — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:27:05 -0000

Jay, I like the newspaper. I like the Sunday paper and a cup of coffee on the backyard table with the birds and squrrils early in the morning. It is almost like I am on a vacation stepping back in time to a simple way of life. Too bad I don't get many Sunday mornings in my backyard.

The Atlantic City Press is trying to go internet with Jersey Devil Homes. They want us real estate agents to post our listings for free with any open house dates we hold. They want to sell us a better position (like Realtor.com) and get this - the search engine they tied into is Trulia.

The newspapers are so far behind the curve it is funny. A couple of years ago they started publishing a Homes magazine to sell our listing advertising. The last time I checked they had to cut out one and the other magazine had only a dozen to two pages.

Then the Asbury Park Press does a Sunday Edtion that has so many "open house" ads that they would be cheaper to go back and print the old MLS books and just hand them out to anyone who wants a copy.

Everyone keeps trying to get into our pockets as if there was money in them. Maybe they will start putting out advertising that is paid on a percentage of the house sale and collected when we get it sold?

But, I do miss those Sundays in the early AM at the table in the backyard and big Newspaper to read with my coffee.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Mike Taylor@Indianapolis Real — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:49:45 -0000

I know I am the oddball, but I actually do still read the paper. The problem, especially with the real estate section of the paper is that they just suck. Papers really have an opportunity in front of them they missing. Everyone’s eyes are on real estate now and the only thing they can run in the RE section is a few builder ads, some lame nationally syndicated article about wall paper and a bunch of liner ads from agents? Missed opportunity IMHO.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Jeremy Hart — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:55 -0000

Honestly, last time I read a paper was this past weekend when I bought one just to see the mistake the publisher made on an ad I ran. Before that? At least a year ... and that time was probably to see firsthand a publishing mistake.

<abbr>Jeremy Harts last blog post..Weathering The Real Estate Storm</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Matt Fox@AZ Home Insurance — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:58:13 -0000

Jay,
Can't remember the last time I read a newspaper. I read brief snips of news on my Treo or online. I do still subscribe to certain print magazines to keep up to date on industry and other business 'hot' topics.

This is simply a changing economy. Life is filled with changes. The way people buy, the way people study, the way people live is changing in every aspect every day. You must either adapt and change by choice or you will be forced to change and adapt.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Linsey@ OC Real Estate Voice — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:27:07 -0000

Those of us inclined to comment on a blog like this in the first place are clearly the group of people that are likely to be reading blogs and internet sites for our news rather than the paper. While newspapers and print publications are slowly losing their audience, I do believe there are still a significant number of people that like to sit down with their paper in the morning.

That being said, I do think that it's a different story when we are talking about marketing property. Serious buyers don't look in the newspaper. When 80% + of buyers begin their home search online, it is foolish to spend a marketing budget in print.

Sometimes we may buckle to a client that is pressuring us and want to see their home in print, but as agents we know that homes are not sold that way. I'm fascinated by those (especially the big companies) that continue to spend big advertising dollars on print advertisting. Let's be honest, it's agent or company advertising, not real promotion of a listing.

<abbr>Linseys last blog post..Predictions for Market Recovery in the OC</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Miami Beach Real Estate — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:11:55 -0000

Real newspapers have a nice feel and are fun if you have extra time in the morning or to sit at Starbucks, but that is not many people. I have to be in to work early and am busy afterward. In the end the papers pile up and do not seem worth it, cost-wise and environmental-wise. I do like the Sunday paper with a coffee.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Eric Lee — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:02:28 -0000

I grew up on the newspaper but I dropped my subscription the day I got Internet in 1997.

Hadn't looked at a paper in awhile but about 6m onths ago, I bought a paper to read at brunch one morning and realized the price for the Arizona Republic is still 50 cents. I remember when they went from 35 to 50 cents and the uproar that caused. That was in 1994 (IIRC - that's off the top of my head). 1994! Their price hasn't changed in 14 years! What other product doesn't increase in price in 14 years!?!?!?

It is a fundamental rule of economics that price is the intersection of supply and demand and where demand goes down, price goes down. Factoring in inflation, newspaper prices in the Valley have been declining for 14 years now.

I suspect we are not too far away from the physical newspaper pretty much disappearing. It will always exist (there will always be a segment of the population that won't get Internet), but I think it will change drastically from its current format to almost be unrecognizable.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Cedar City Real Estate — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:31:21 -0000

Newspapers are definitely a thing of the past. I thought people knew this when the biggest mogul in the newspaper industry Rupert Murdoch sold over half of his newspaper agencies to buy Myspace.com.

People thought he was nuts but he is successful with Fox and Myspace.com among others so I think he is a good person to follow.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

John @ Maryland Real Estate — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:25:07 -0000

I don't know if newspapers are completely dying but advertising real estate in them is dead. There is just no way to justify the cost. The only time I will advertise a property in the paper is when a client absolutely insist. If it is a great listing I will usually take out an ad just to appease my client.

<abbr>Johns last blog post..Baltimore Real Estate</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Brad Shaffer — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:47:06 -0000

My wife and used to get the paper back in Indiana. When we moved to Arizona we never subscribed to The Tribune or The Republic. My wife still will get the Sunday paper to feed her coupon-clipping addiction.

For the most part, you can find everything you need online at the papers' websites. And since that's what the majority of people do these days - go online to search for nearly anything they buy (houses, cars, electronics) - it just makes sense for news sources to invest in online marketing as well as those of us in real estate.

<abbr>Brad Shaffers last blog post..Tempe Two-Year Real Estate Prices and Statistics as of September 2008</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Charles@Las Vegas Real Estate — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:07:23 -0000

The only thing we use the newspaper here for is to line the bird's cage. I think the major publications will survive in some form, but a lot of them will disappear.

<abbr>Charless last blog post..Monterey Auction</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Tucson Michael — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:26:07 -0000

I used to read a couple newspapers a day for a long time, now i get all the same news more up to date by watching the news channels on TV and the internet. The real problem is that the newspapers are way over charging to the point where it is ridiculous. Back when they were the only game in town businesses had to pay up (same with the Yellowpages) to advertise, but in Tucson it is like $300+ to run a weekend ad with 1 picture and that’s for 3 days! It just doesn’t add up at all, to me anything over $50-$75 is a asking to much......Anyway I know most of the real estate agents feel the same way about it's effectiveness vs. cost.

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Evan Fuchs — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:05:52 -0000

@James - I agree that the papers haven't reacted well. Print media is a static, one-way proposition. Some papers have done a great job of incorporating social media into their online content, which is a great example of tweaking a business model to meet the demands of clients and remaining competitive.

<abbr>Evan Fuchss last blog post..Bullhead City Real Estate Report - September, 2008</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

James Bridges@ Real Estate Tra — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:43:56 -0000

Unfortunately the papers did not change with the times. I don't like to see people lose their jobs, but the leadership of the papers didn't adapt quick enough to the online market. They were once THE source for information at local levels but their method of delivery is now not efficient. There are some great papers across the country that I hope adapt to be more nimble so they can continue to exist in a new format.

<abbr>James Bridgess last blog post..How to Use the Fear in the Stock Market to Your Advantage</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Tina Fountain@Atlanta Real Est — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:53:55 -0000

I read the paper online and cancelled my subscription about 2 years ago. The only time I read an actual paper is when I travel. We still take out newspaper ads and do get good results. Many readers see our ad and then visit our website to contact us.

<abbr>Tina Fountains last blog post..Marietta Luxury Home Price Reduction</abbr>

Re: Are Newspapers Dying?

Brady Pevehouse@Central Florid — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:17:04 -0000

I read the paper everyday, and have about 40 feeds that I review on a daily basis as well.
The problem with newspapers already is that much of it is already syndicated, and can be found everywhere. Few local papers have the ability to write just local content and disseminate it in a rapid enough fashion to be beneficial. Add that to the fact that 90% of todays paper was 70% of last nights local news. So essentially they are delivering yesterdays news?

I am just curious how advertising dollars will be affected by the change in delivery methods over the years to come. Advertisers will have to get creative in the future no doubt.