The Newsonomics of Pricing 101

Let’s start with this basic principle: People won’t pay you for content if you don’t ask them to. That’s an inside-the-industry joke, but one with too much reality to sustain much laughter. It took the industry a long time to start testing offers and price points, as The Wall Street Journal and ...

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The Newsonomics of the Dead Cat Bounce

Are there any positive growth numbers to report? Which categories may be turning positive — maybe national or retail display ads — as the sagging economy continues to plague the traditional classified strengths of auto, recruitment, and real estate?

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Slaughtering the Cash Cows a Bit Too Early

One big reason the numbers are declining is the product itself. In the last year, we've seen unprecedented cuts in the product -- and the customers are noticing. It looks like the amount of newsprint is down about 10-15%; some in stories, some in ads. Trusted bylines have disappeared overnight. ...

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Triple Financial Whammy Afflicts Newspapers

If the newspaper industry was on thin ice a month ago, the financial meltdown has meant that the creaking and cracking is getting more audible. Think of it as a triple whammy for an industry used to declaring itself the victim of a perfect storm: First, the meltdown has deepened, widened and ...

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