Saving Newspapers: The Musical

Here's how to save the newspaper industry from their eventual demise. The funny thing, Brandon and I had this idea years ago. For newspapers sake I hope it works.

To the sports columnist that criticizes Lebron for not shaking hands

(1) Look at that photo to your right. The only time you got that far up in the air was when you were reaching for double sprinkles at Dunkin Donuts.

(2) Don't talk about sportsmanship and your softball beer league or the time you played JV basketball. If I wanted to know how washed-up, nonathletic, uncoordinated people played sports, I'd watch the Washington Nationals.

(3) Lebron's ego is so inflated because he has a Muppet of himself? What? Bird would shoot with the other hand because he was bored and that's not disrespectful or showing that he has a big ego?

(4) So tell me again why you chose Cleveland to beat Orlando in the series? You didn't flip flop at all did you? No sir, you're a member of the media.

(5) Classless? Kind of like attacking A-rod with a book with hearsay and unnamed sources?

(6) How many times do you shake the hand of the other newspaper reporter that scooped you on a story? Exactly.

Spokesman-Review cuts down its size

So the Spokesman-Review cut down it's width again, by 1.5 inches, calling it a move to "a new, reader-friendly page size that has become the standard of the American newspaper industry."

Actually the standard of the American newspaper industry would be non-existent, but lets not celebrate the death of journalism just quite yet. The paper also said they were doing it to cut costs, add features and change some things around. At least they were honest with themselves.

I must say that the new size and format does look snazzy and actually works quite well in my hands. However, I can't help this nagging feeling that newspapers are just trying to survive instead of innovate and flourish. I mean how long before the Spokesman-Review cuts down more column space? Will it be reader-friendly when people are holding a newsletter?

Instead of just cutting down the size and adding sidebars, the newspaper industry needs a quick kick in the butt. If you really look at this redesign, fundamentally the Spokesman-Review has done nothing new. They haven't changed the paradigm. They're still not doing well financially. This might buy them some time but it wont change things.

Oh, and nevermind Mark Cuban basically solved the newspaper industry crisis weeks ago. Here's the link to his suggestion.

But newspapers would be much more inclined to lay people off and cut down paper size before they actually innovate their product. What a sad situation it is...

Epic Photo: Newspaper House

I came across this photo today. It features the Newspaper House. And this was taken last year in March. I'm not sure of the photographer. But what happened is Karen Janody was so tired of the newspapers blowing around London, England that she decided to make a house out of them to show the waste. The house was made out of rolled up newpapers.

Perhaps this is what could save the newspaper industry. Just start selling them for houses. And hope it doesn't rain.

Mark Cuban just saved Newspapers

Mark Cuban is a genius. He basically came up with a way newspapers can actually make money again...

The ownership of the credit card by newspapers. I’ve always been a believer that Amazon has excelled not just because they have great customer service and decent prices, but because they have those, PLUS they have my credit card on file. It’s easier to buy from Amazon than it is to go to the store.

Newspapers want to charge for content, or really, anything and everything they can. In order to do so, you need to get the customers credit card on file. NO ONE , and I MEAN NO ONE is going to go through the hassle of entering a credit or debit card in order to buy their first penny, nickel or dime article. It’s far too much hassle. Even using PayPal is a hassle.

You need to get reader’s credit cards on files and start being the baby Amazon of your local area.

But wait! There's more...

...you should look at anything and everything digital that you can acquire and give away or sell to your subscribers. It costs you next to nothing to host and allow the downloads, but you are driving traffic, and immediately offering incremental value that isnt available elsewhere.

From there, its a question of imagination.

Want the super special Dallas Cowboys expanded 10 page draft section. $5.00, charged to your card. Get the weekly video blog for the Dallas Mavericks, delivered to your email box for only 29c per month, charged to your card annually. Want to get the indepth analysis of whats going on with High School Football, get the exclusive insight that only Joe Blow of the Morning News can offer for $2.95 per month, Delivered to your email, or get our special expanded print edition every saturday with indepth analysis and pictures of every high school football game with exclusive links to online video for only $9.95 per month during HS football season.

Upload us a family picture and 500 words, and we will put it front and center on the front page of the Morning News along with the headline you pick and deliver it to your door for $25. Want a copy for grandma, $10 per extra copy. We have negotiated for a special price on the Disney DVD release of The Jonas Brothers DVD. Have it on your doorstep at 5am the morning its released, for the low , low price of $17.95. Our advertiser, Dallas Flowers is offering a mothers day special of a dozen roses for $19.95 if you pre order from DallasNews.com/mothersday and pay with your EZ PAY.

This is why Mark Cuban owns an NBA franchise, and I own three pairs of Starbury's. Now, if newspapers would collectively pull their heads out of their butts and do this - maybe we wont see the complete downfall of journalism.

It's looking like that journalism degree will pay off

It's nice to go into an industry that's losing millions of dollars every year. By the time I get a good job, journalists will probably printed papers on the back of napkins.

NEW YORK The newspaper industry has experienced the worst drop in advertising revenue in more than 50 years.

According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 -- the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950.

The drop-off points to an economic slowdown on top of the secular challenges faced by the industry. The second worst decline in advertising revenue occurred in 2001 when it fell 9.0%.Total advertising revenue in 2007 -- including online revenue -- decreased 7.9% to $45.3 billion compared to the prior year.

You can read the full story here.

I hope Red Robin is hiring.