Newspapers Likely to Become Free In Near Future, Says Editor Poll

by Will Safer on May 6, 2008 at 06:49 PM

All the news that's fit to print may someday be free, according to a new poll from Zogby International.

The polling firm asked newspaper editors around the world what they thought would be the future of newspapers, and most agreed that there was a future in print but that pressures from online media would force them to adjust how they do business.

Some key points:

86 percent of respondents believed newsrooms should become more integrated with digital services.
Two in three believe the most common form of news consumption will be via electronic media such as online or mobiles within a decade
56 percent of respondents believed that the majority of news, be it via print or online, would be free in the future (up from 48 percent a year ago)
48 percent who answered yes a year ago
Only 45 percent of editors thought the quality of journalism would improve over the next 10 years (more than 25 percent think it will get worse)
Nearly two-thirds believe that some traditional editorial functions will be outsourced in the future

An interesting split between so-called emerging markets and more mature markets was revealed by the poll. Editors in South America, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Asia were more likely to think newspapers would become free, while those in Western Europe and North America were likely to think the paid model still has a future. [Source: Reuters]

Tags: breaking news, BreakingNews, free, newspapers, outsource, surveys

Comments

ed matysMay 6th 2008 11:22PM

Neutral

As the person who pioneered the most real free newspapers three decades ago with over 500,000 circulation I heartily agree with the move to free ;; however, it is not the distribution method but the focus on psychographics and localism which will aid newspaper survivals. Very few newspaper publishers are in a positon to be nimble and there are few consultants who will push anything other than more of the old with a few buzzwords and push the movement of paper rather than using the paper as a platform for total marketing reach through an enveloping strategy utilizing all media platforms and cross marketing opportunities.
ED MATYS founding publisher New Mass. Media , the advocate newspapers of new england, syracuse new times, pasadena weekly, citibusiness, 9 to 9.

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looseONTHEgooseMay 7th 2008 4:19AM

Neutral

Yes. I agree. There is only one way to compete. The more internet devices entering the mainstream + People WAKING UP about the net = Why Pay for newsPAPER (Caps = Environmental concern)

And yes. Internet servers take up electricity, but find a forum for that friends.

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Ray HannonMay 7th 2008 4:51AM

Neutral

The newspaper carries advertising far more comprehensible than the bites of TV and websites, and news in depth instead of soundbites. You sit and read a paper and cut out lines to mail to others, especially if you read papers they don't. I absorb newspapers every day. frp, the smallest town weekly to the Washington Post and many in between. I consider myself learned because of papers. I'm proud to have been the youngest general manager of a big city daily in the country.

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ChrisMay 7th 2008 9:20AM

Neutral

They already are free in Metro areas like DC and NYC. The papers make smaller (both in number of pages and size to make it easier to read on the subway) versions with just the basic AP articles and local news. They rely purely on the advertising but they lack the more in depth articles and niche ones. I can see them expanding though if they can find a good advertising method.

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