The Paradigm Shift in delivering the daily news.

There has been a paradigm shift in the delivery of daily news. Recent articles have been posted on the web regarding the "Demise of the Newspaper" and how that may be the end of investigative journalism;  that four major newspaper companies that include the  Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and The Philadelphia Inquirer have sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in recent months.

News is not dead but the vehicle it is delivered in has changed.  A shelf life of a day isn't long enough.  Dated information isn't good enough.   Newspapers aren't in the news paper  business, they are in the business of reporting the news. 

Using the daily newspaper as a marketing vehicle has also changed.  If you want current, timely access to products and pricing would you look in a newspaper or on the Internet?

There was a time when a seller putting their home for sale looked to see if their broker advertised the property in the paper. Now if it is in the paper, the seller is probably the only one looking to see if the ad is there. It's called seller appeasement advertising.  It really doesn't attract any buyer inquiries but it makes the seller feel good to see the picture in the paper.

The real estate industry struggled with changing their paradigm regarding the publishing data relative to properties for sale.  The concern was that the control of the data made the industry relevant.  The industry found after releasing the data that  they were not in the data business. Allowing the data to be posted everywhere did not minimize the role a real estate professional played it actually raised the bar on the quality and the delivery of the data provided.  Data does not create value. The interpretation of data, use the data, delivery of the data, and successfully building the relationship with and between the parties utilizing the data is the value the real estate professional brings to a transaction.

The news industry will need to identify the demand for and the correct vehicle for the delivery of daily news in print.  Their challenge is re-inventing themselves and remaining relevant and that is what all businesses struggle with everyday.