More than two years ago, I gave a speech at Georgetown and asked the assembled group of 100+ students some questions:
Who reads a newspaper every morning in its physical form? Who reads a news magazine every week or subscribes to a news magazine? Who wants to go to work for a newspaper company or magazine publisher upon graduation? Not a single hand went up. I said "canary in the coal mine". This doesn’t auger well. Check out this story. See the quotes within. It is scary times for print-based publications and their true "anemic" future growth prospects. I have yet to see a Newsweek widget on a single Facebook page or a Newsweek social app on a single blog or syndicated website. Have you?
I am sorry, but I don’t consider Facebook or Myspace as sources to get news or to make a daily effort to view.
I read the paper, I read magazines. Maybe I am old fashion but sitting down on a Sunday morning with the paper is a good thing.
I also am not loaded so I can’t put a computer in the bathroom when I am on the “throne”. It may be cliche, but that is a good time to read.
You should have asked how many want to go work for AOL
I read the Post every day in the old fashion print edition. I didn’t in college, but as an adult, I read it every day. I also use their website. The point is, having multiple delivery mechanisms is still good for most businesses. Hopefully, reading the Sunday comics, spread out on the living room floor, with my wife and kids will always be possible. Some things just aren’t the same in front of a computer screen.
Ted,
Thanks so much for wearing your Caps jersey the past couple of games. I don’t believe that jersey was the only red you had in your closet.
You looked great in the Comcast interview before last night’s game.
You are the best owner in the World.
Go Caps!
It should come as no surprise. There seems to be room for market leaders (Economist, WSJ, etc.) to profit, but Time/Newsweek could be the Reader’s Digest of news magazines for all the current crop of twenty-somethings care.
Congrats on the playoffs. Wish you would buy the Rangers from Jim Dolan. Washington loves you… Jim Dolan gets mentioned at MSG and gets booed relentlessly.
Ted- Congrats first of all on the game, season, etc.
By the way though, i am a sophmore at Gtown, and i have a Business week widget on my Mac, read the Washpo each day. And every day the Washpo (which are free to students) and Washpo express holders on campus are empty every day
I don’t find Newsweek too relevant but I am glad Jonathan Alter is not ‘retiring.’
And thank you for loving hockey and signing Mr. Ovechkin. I have not enjoyed the game this much since Bob Gainey played.
I hardly ever read a print news paper anymore apart from certain sections of the post when i’m at home. I do all my news reading online. Mostly I find it more convenient since I can read it whenever I want to and it will always be up to date. A print paper is already out of date the moment it reaches your door, whereas online I can read whatever is happening right at that moment. As well as the fact that online news is free. As well as the fact that I think print news is kind of a waste since once you’ve read it there is no more use for it, you just throw it away or use it as a coaster for your coffee. Think of all the wasted paper that can be saved. The future, I believe is in being able to deliver news that is updated up to the minute to mobile devices on demand and for free.