The fall of the daily paper: Mainstream media loses readers, ad revenues as internet takes over

Friday, August 09, 2013 by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: mainstream media, newspapers, falling circulation

(NaturalNews) The decline and fall of traditional mainstream daily newspapers and monthly magazines is continuing unabated, as demonstrated by a spate of bad news that has recently beset some of the biggest names in the industry. The reasons for print journalism's downfall are clear, if not easily accepted among the industry's stalwart defenders: The mainstream media is no longer "mainstream."

Run by editors and publishers with extreme biases, Americans in the digital age have had enough of the agendas, lies and omissions. They have tossed aside the daily print and turned instead to the internet for the lion's share of the news they digest. This is verifiable; traditional print's falling circulation figures and advertising dollars tell the truth very clearly.

But also, as Natural News has proven, the internet is home to niche publications, where Americans who are shopping for a particular kind of news product can find exactly what it is they are looking for.

None of this is good for the traditional press. Let's examine a few of the most recent (bad news) developments that are shaking the traditional Fourth Estate to its core.

The Washington Post

A stalwart of the mainstream media, The Washington Post has been the District's number one newspaper and a national icon for decades. No more.

Founded as a daily in 1877, the paper's most storied accomplishment - the one that comes to most Americans' minds - is its coverage of the Watergate scandal, beginning in 1971. Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein wrote a series of exclusive stories detailing the Nixon White House-led break-in at the Democratic Party Headquarters - stories which eventually led to Nixon's resignation.

Through the years, the Post company would incorporate, buy Newsweek magazine (1961), go public and offer stock, win a number of Pulitzer Prizes and purchase a regional cable company.

But what was once a multi-billion dollar newspaper a decade ago sold Aug. 5 for just $250 million.

"That represents an 87 percent loss in just a decade. You figure in ten years of inflation and we are probably over 90 percent," Breitbart News noted.

"Like most print media outlets, the Post has had to struggle with the rise of the internet and competition from New Media. That certainly hurt its value, but the Post is also guilty of a number of unforced errors that resulted in untold damage to the credibility of its once legendary brand," Breitbart News said.

There have been a number of other factors that have led to the Post's demise. Phony fact checks, likely coordination with Democratic presidential campaigns, smears leveled at Republicans, non-stop promotion of left-wing causes and points of view, biased polls - it all adds up and saps credibility.

The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe, which is owned by The New York Times Co., has just been put up for sale as well. Two decades ago, when the Times Co. purchased it, the paper sold for $1.1 billion; now, it is being sold to the principle owner of the Boston Red Sox for a paltry $7 million, for a 93 percent loss.

"The announcement comes more than five months after the Times said it was putting the paper up for sale for a second time. In an abortive attempt to sell it four years ago, the company billed the move as an effort to concentrate on The New York Times brand," National Public Radio reported.

Eileen Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Times, told The Associated Press that the cash deal would close in 30 to 60 days. Included in the deal are BostonGlobe.com; Boston.com; The Worcester Telegram & Gazette; Telegram.com; the direct mail marketing company, Globe Direct; and the company's 49 percent interest in Metro Boston, a free daily newspaper for commuters.

Many of the same reasons for the demise of the Post can be attributed to the Globe as well.

Newsweek

Sold by the Post for $1 in 2010, the ailing liberal magazine eventually transformed into an all-digital model and merged with the very left-wing Daily Beast but still could not find enough audience or revenue to remain viable.

So, the magazine was sold again just this week to IBT Media, publishers of International Business Times.

"Newsweek is a powerful brand, and we believe we can continue to build on that legacy," said Jonathan Davis, co-founder and chief content officer at IBT Media. "We're looking forward to building this into a successful enterprise."

If the magazine's recent performances are any indication, it shouldn't be long before a) it is sold again; or b) goes under completely.

Why? Because the ad dollars simply aren't there anymore - not for any of these publications.

"Total advertising revenues for U.S. newspapers have dropped 55 percent since hitting an historical peak in 2005 - a fact that has now been punctuated by the back-to-back bargain-basement sales of the Boston Globe and the Washington Post," CNS News reports, citing data published by the Newspaper Association of America.

Pure and simple, Americans have grown weary of the mainstream media and its arrogant, incessant harping on issues that either aren't on the radar for most people or run afoul of what most think or believe.

Sources:

http://www.npr.org

http://www.breitbart.com

http://cnsnews.com