newsonaut

Turning inner space into outer space

February 27, 2012

The newspaper revenue cliff is economic, not political

Here’s a depressing sight for anyone who loves newspapers. Ad revenues for print have fallen off a cliff.

Chart showing newspaper ad revenue since 1950

If you follow the link below to the original article, you might want to avoid reading the comments. They have devolved into a depressing harangue against perceived liberal bias in U.S. newspapers.

As a Canadian, I can’t really speak to whether there is any justification for this view, but I can’t help feel it is a red herring. Even hard-core conservative entrepreneurs would place an ad in a newspaper if they knew it would make them money

The problem for newspapers comes down to competition. Other media platforms, including the Internet, offer compelling and innovative ways for advertisers to reach new customers. And newspaper owners are finding it hard to keep up.

Link: Newspaper Ad Revenues Fall to 60-Yr. Low in 2011