Re: Newspapers are doomed?

From: Shawn Merwin <merwin_at_netsync.net>
Date: Fri 15 Sep 2000 14:29:21 -0500

MARGARITA <b_o_n_a_at_hotmail.com> WROTE:
> Hi, I've beed doing a research on Internet vs.
> newspaper advertising recently and I got a feeling that
> the world is not big enough for both of them. To quote
> Ted Turner from Time Warner: "I wouldn't want to be in
> the newspaper business. I think the Internet is going
> to eat them first" (Fortune, Jan 10,2000)

Comparing advertising in newspapers versus advertising
on the Internet is hard, since much of the advertising
in newspapers (especially smaller circulation dailies
or weeklies) deals with local goods and service.
Fred's Bar and Grill is still going to run that
newspaper ad every week talking about the Saturday
night prime rib special, and they could give a hoot
about advertising on Yahoo!.

These newspapers that cater to the local population are
going to be in good shape because their content is
important their readers. In fact, rather than being
hurt by the Internet, they are going to be in a prime
position to capture niche Internet attention because of
that content.

My company is working with small and mid-sized
newspapers to use the Internet's messaging capabilities
to take their special content (ESPECIALLY advertising)
and get their readers more involved, thus making
advertisers even happier. For example, the newspaper
can have an opt-in service at their web site where
subscribers can ask to receive email bulletins or pager
messages based on what's in the newspaper. So
subscribers can ask to get an email when that coupon
for the prime rib dinner at Fred's Bar and Grill is in
the newspaper. Or when the Classified section has a
used car that they're looking for. Or when a certain
job listing appears.

This sort of thing doesn't make sense for every
newspaper, especially in some rural areas where email
and pagers are the exception rather than the rule. But
several have found this to be a very effective way to
reach more people for their advertisers. We always
talk about the value of the niche markets, and it
doesn't get more "niche" than that Saturday night prime
rib crowd at Fred's Bar and Grill.

Shawn Merwin
Director of Communications
Visionary Software Solutions, Inc.





Received on Fri Sep 15 2000 - 14:29:21 CDT