Newspapers Moving to "Online" ONLY- Not just the RE section!

By
Real Estate Agent with Real Estate Showcase Photography


                                  L.A. Land: latimes.com

July 29, 2008

Well, its official:  The Los Angeles Times has published its last Sunday real estate section of its newspaper

There's a journalism term for finishing an edition's work: You put the section to bed. When I started as a part-timer in this department 28 1/2 years ago under then-editor Dick Turpin, I never dreamed that one day I'd be putting the section to bed for good. -- Lauren Beale, Real Estate editor

 

                                         Looks like it's NOT just the Real Estate Section

 

From an article by Stephanie Clifford, published October 28, 2008:Old time news reporter

"After a century of continuous publication, The Christian Science Monitor will abandon its weekday print edition and appear online only, its publisher announced Tuesday. The cost-cutting measure makes The Monitor the first national newspaper to largely give up on print.... The article continues:

We have the luxury — the opportunity — of making a leap that most newspapers will have to make in the next five years,” Mr. Yemma said."

And this:

"Dropping the print edition seems to tempt newspaper executives. At a recent conference held by the City University of New York’s journalism school, a group of publishing executives discussed what a cost-efficient newsroom should look like. They eventually settled on casting aside paper and starting fresh on the Web."

And this:

"Mr. Yemma said that print did bring in money at The Monitor, but most of that was from subscriptions, not advertising."

 

 

 

For some reason it never occured to me that there could come a day that we would no longer have newspapers.

I still see many agents advertising their listings in the paper, and in real estate maqazines, but for me, the expense was no longer justified by the continued lessening of the business it generated. So I have eliminated all print from my marketing strategy. As yet, I have not had a single client argue the fact, after I've explained the power of online advertising vs. print. And while I believe it is the best decision for my clients and my business, I lament the potential for the eventual loss of newspapers as we've known them for so very long.

            Besides, what the heck will we use to pack with when we move, if we don't have piles of newspapers?

                                                     And there are other issues with this loss as well....

                     Dog carrying newspaper

 

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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

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Prudential Professional REALTORS, ASP REALTOR, Woodland Park Real Estate, Woodland Park Colorado 80863 – Serving the City of Woodland Park, Teller County, Ute Pass, and Park County since 1997.

Comments (14)

marti garaughty
garaughty.com - Montreal, QC
a highly caffeinated creative type...

 hi Debi, re "it never occured to me that there could come a day that we would no longer have newspapers"...

 Maybe it's because I got out of the newspaper habit about 10 years ago but I don't miss it at all. Actually my paper was often stolen by the time I woke up so now I'm in the habit of getting my news from the net while I work. I'm not surprised at the shift papers are making, if anything they're probably overdue. ;-)

Nov 01, 2008 04:28 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

The Blog Artist - marti garaughty (The Art Of Marketing You)

Hey Marti - I'm sure you're right about it being overdue...Just a bit sad in my view to see the demise of an institution that's been such a way of life for so very many years....ahhhh, nostalgic already and they're not even gone yet! LOL

BTW - I haven't checked yet to see if there was any info about it, but I was not able to get on AR today at all until now - the old Proxy Error routine - You?

Debi

Nov 02, 2008 12:17 PM
Pat Whitehouse
RE/MAX 1st Olympic Lynchburg Va - Lynchburg, VA
Broker/Owner

Hi Debi-It would seem real strange without a paper. What about the older folks that don't have computers or the internet. We still have, at least for now our real estate section in our Sunday edition but it's hard to say how much business I actually get from it. We call it our "History Book" I think some folks look at it just to see if were still in real estate. In these tough economic times we have to be even smarter where we put our advertising dollars. I think AR must have crashed sometime after midnite because I was on til about that maybe a little later and it was off when I tried to log on this morning about 8. Glad it's back up and running. I was having AR withdrawal. Headache included. Chocolate wasn't working. :-) talk to you soon.

Nov 02, 2008 01:28 PM
Yvette Smith
LONG & FOSTER - Williamsburg, VA
Realtor In Williamsburg VA, Homes for Sale

HI DEBI!

The folks in my town read the local newspaper religiously.  I advertise in the paper, just for my community.  But, where would I get my coupons from?  I don't like those on-line coupons...seem bogus!

Have a great week!  VOTE & TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU!

Nov 02, 2008 01:52 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Pat - Yes! It would be strange, wouldn't it? But it's looking like the way it's turning...

Word out here is EVERYONE was going thru AR withdrawals today! Check out this blog by Kristin!!

http://activerain.com/blogsview/770816/Things-to-do-while-Active-Rain-is-down

 

Yvette - Coupons, moving day wrapping paper, pet training, the list is endless! What a loss!

Debi

Nov 02, 2008 02:22 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Debi, I added you as an associate and will subscribe to your blog.  This one is very meaningful because my daughter is editor of a newspaper and I love my newspapers and read them religiously.  The web with a newspaper is not the same.  Plus old people, some of them, don't use the internet.

I signed up for two ads a week for a year in our daily paper in order to help them out and for personal advertising.  I'm not sorry I did it because I know the papers need the business.

Nov 03, 2008 01:16 AM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Thanks, Barbara, I've added you as a associate also. I'm glad you stopped by for my post on the newspapers. I hope whatever paper your daughter works for has many more years of circulation, and I'm sure your local paper is grateful for your support!

Debi

Nov 03, 2008 01:28 AM
Brenda Carus
Century 21 Zwygart Real Estate - Monroe, WI

Speculation here is that our local daily paper will have transitioned to a weekly print edition with online daily updates within the next few months.  It is rather sad, but on the other hand, I am an online reader myself, so I can't say much about it. 

Nov 03, 2008 02:44 AM
Sabrina Kelley
ERA Herman Group Real Estate - Woodland Park, CO
Woodland Park Colorado Mountain Homes and Land

Hi Debi,

Your blogs are looking outstanding these days. It is great to have a top Realtor like yourself next to me on the Active Rain board.

I am not surprised to hear your news about the L.A. Times. Some odd 80+ consumers start their real estate search on the net.

Nov 03, 2008 07:17 AM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours
Brenda Carus (Re/Max Towne Square Realty)

Brenda, I guess it's time they all begin the transition - and yes, I agree it is sad, isn't it? I wonder how many years before ALL newspapers are collectibles? Strange thought, huh?

Sabrina Kelley,Colorado Mountain Homes, Woodland Park Colorado Real Estate (Prudential Colorado Real Estate )

Sabrina, thanks, and good to hear from you!

The newest net figures I've heard are 85%. Thing is, it's not just  RE, more and more people are getting ALL their news online.

Debi

 

Nov 03, 2008 01:08 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

We just stopped our last print a couple months ago. Print if not where it pays any more.

Nov 03, 2008 05:37 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Bob & Carolin Benjamin - E Phoenix Arizona Real Estate (The Benjamin Team - Keller Williams Integrity First Realty )

Bob & Carolin, Yes, I agree. Many of us have turned to more profitable advertising. Even other types of selling ads are going away - moving over to Craig's List!

Debi

Nov 04, 2008 01:32 PM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

I remember when I hated the Sunday paper because it was HUGE and full of advertisements. I had to sort through it for hours just to find the news. Not any more. The Sunday ads are maybe 25% of the Sunday paper.

Nov 08, 2008 07:58 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Property Consultant)

Russel, Yeah, Newspaper advertising is going quickly by the wayside. Since that's their revenue, it's no surprise the industry is tanking.

Debi

Nov 12, 2008 10:18 AM

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