The McClatchy Company today reported it is letting go around 1,400 of its newspaper employees. This, after having let go 2,000 others over the last 18 months. Samuel Zell has his spreadsheet and sickle out at the Tribune Company and who knows what will becomes of Newsday as the Dolans take control. Is there less news to be reported? Is there less advertising to pay the bills? Or is it the Internet?
It’s a perfect storm of all three, actually. There is not less news, but more. Technology has enabled few things in the world to go unnoticed. Add to that the millions of bloggers reporting and analyzing news and events and the choices become even greater. Bloggers are competing with favorite newspaper columnists for Share of Day (SOD.) That’s the impact of the Internet. And in this recession-like clime, ad pages are harder to come by.
Newspapers will always be around. The delivery medium will change, but the news will be there. As for reporters, there are good and bad and regardless of where they publish, smart media properties will hire the good to attract readers. With the right packaging and the right mix of advertising, the strong will reemerge and all will be fine.
