Newspaper Readership Continues to Decline

by Jay Thompson on November 7, 2007 · Comments

in Random Musings

In what should not be a stunning revelation, the New York Times posted an article yesterday titled, “More Readers Trading Newspapers for Web Sites“.

The Times reports a 3%ish drop in newspaper sales, driven mostly by an increase in on-line readership. Mind boggling isn’t it? Actually, I am surprised the drop wasn’t more significant. Our Arizona Republic showed a 3.7% decline.

About the only time I ever read an actual paper is when I’m standing in line at Starbucks (which I do all too frequently).

A couple of weeks ago a young man knocked on my door, selling subscriptions to the Republic. Here’s how the conversation went:

Sales Guy: I’ve got a *fantastic* deal on a subscription to the Arizona Republic for you!

Me: Is it free?

Sales Guy: Um no, but close!

Me: Sorry, not interested.

Sales Guy: You read it online, right?

Me: Yep.

Sales Guy: Yeah, me too.

So I gave him a bottle of water (it was pushing 100 that day) and off he went. Not before he told me that he hadn’t sold a single subscription. But he did get four cancellations.

Do you subscribe to your local paper? Do you even read an actual paper?

[tags]newspapers, mainstream media[/tags]


 

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  • I sure don't. Even us folk, up here on the mountain, have the White Mountain Independent (local news paper) on line version.

    It's so much more convenient to read when it comes via my reader as apposed to going out and buying it. I actually read the thing now!
  • I subscribe to our "daily." I rarely have time to give it a good read during the week but I still enjoy reading it on Saturday morning. Perhaps I spend too much time on my computer with work. :)
  • I do the Starbucks & newspaper thing at least 4 days a week, although Coffee Plantation has been getting a visit now and again. I've considered getting a subscription for a while now (going on 4 years), but the paper's generally free at Starbucks (if you don't consider the $4 coffee).
  • I get the Sunday paper only - gotta check the ads, read the funnies, and peruse the "At Home" section.

    Surely newspaper is dying out, but there's some use left to it. My brokerage has it's own special pull-out section of ads that works pretty well, if you can catch it on the right week to get on the front page, in the right price range.

    I've got a darling little 4 bedroom for $160-170k that was top, front and center this week that has gotten me a couple showings and about 6 calls alone for that house. I've got another for $199k that I'm billing as a Clean Slate and a Fresh Start that makes people call me in droves (ah, the emotional sell). Even when they don't call, I can see spikes in online traffic for weekends I run ads, maybe 50% of the time, depending on where I can get placement in that section.

    What was the question again? Oh yeah. Someone keeps delivering a paper on Monday that I let sit in the yard until it has decomposed. I only ordered the Sunday paper, thankyouverymuch. I don't want no stinkin' monday paper.
  • We canceled The Arizona Republic recently because they made available online the salaries of everyone at ASU. Way too personal. [By the way, when I publish homes-sold information in Home Sale News, I do not include the sellers' or buyers' names - you don't need to know that to comp your house.]

    Anyway, when the Republic called and asked why we canceled I also mentioned that we canceled to reduce our carbon footprint.

    There is probably nothing short of poverty that could reduce your carbon footprint more than canceling the newspaper.

    Funny thing though, whenever I read articles on how to reduce your carbon footprint, they never seem to mention canceling your newspaper subscription as a way to save the planet.
  • I seem to be old fashioned. I get four newspapers every day. Two dailies and two business papers. Let me into a secret though, I do it primarily to lay my hands on the cross word puzzles. I am so addicted that all the four papers know that if for space constraints they do not publish my daily fix, they get an ear full from me and a request for refunds. I somehow find solving cross word puzzles on line not as satisfying!

    Incidentally, I also read three on line papers and an online weekly. How do I find the time? My soon to be launched blog will address that and I shall inform you when I do.
  • I don't know when I last read a newspaper, online sure but not an actual printed one. I hate holding one with the ink on my hands, they are bad for the environment, and they are filled with stuff I don't care to read. I will take the online version any day. - Ashley
  • I have not read the paper in years. I look at a few news sites now and then. I even got rid of my TV.
  • "I even got rid of my TV."

    Yikes! That ain't happening here.. My name is Jay, and I am a TVoholic. TiVO is my best friend.
  • @ John, lol, John that was excellent, I love it. :-))
  • I haven't read the paper in some time, and the last time I did, I was probably waiting for something. The Internet is too available and free.

    John - I've never thought about newspapers leaving a carbon footprint and appreciate the info.

    Cheers to the Internet!
  • I still read the paper. I like reading it over lunch. But it seems less and less people are reading the paper.

    One annoying thing is Austin the statesman sends you junkmail whether or not you sign up for the paper. That kind of customer relations certainly cant help them.
  • I was a paper boy and read the paper cover to cover before delivering it it. The habit stuck for 30 years. There were some withdrawals when I first canceled my subscription for good - a few clandestine trips to the local coffee shop to sneak a peak, mostly to check the box scores.

    The end came when Wolf Blitzer and CNN brought Desert Storm into my world in real time; my newsprint fix died on the spot.

    I read online the other day that our local San Diego rag has sliced and diced the Sports section down because of declining ad rev, so now even the purists are ticked. I give them 5 years on the outside....
  • "But it seems less and less people are reading the paper." How perfect is that? Need we say more on the need to read a newspaper?
  • James Fausel
    where do I find the link that lets me cancell my subscription while on vacation.

    sorry, but this web site is not user friendly
  • James - if you're looking for a link on THIS website to cancel a newspaper subscription, you're looking in completely the wrong place. This is a real estate blog -- it's got nothing to do with newspaper subscriptions (other than the occasional commentary about them).

    You should be able to find what you're looking for by going to the website of the newspaper you are trying to cancel/suspend.

    If you're inquiring about suspending the Arizona Republic, try this link:

    http://www.azcentral.com/help/articles/contact....
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