Georgia newspapers claim few effects from loss of AJC
By: Becky Taylor
Editor: Kate Parham
“Covers Dixie Like the Dew,” was the slogan of the Atlanta Journal.
That would have applied to the paper’s distribution as people in all corners of Georgia could purchase a printed copy of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Beginning in 2007, the paper began eliminating areas of the state from their distribution zone. Daily papers in Georgia that always had the Journal-Constitution as a companion were now alone in reporting news in a daily printed format.
The loss of the AJC affected several papers in the state in various ways.
The Valdosta Daily Times has made no changes in the way it handles the news.
Within months, the paper not only saw The Atlanta Journal-Constitution rescind its distribution, but the area also lost access to the printed version of Jacksonville-based The Florida Times-Union. On the north side of the state line, the latter sold under the title The Georgia Times-Union.
“We’ve continued on what we were doing,” said Sandy Sanders, publisher of the Daily Times.
He said they have attempted to cover the local area better.
Sanders said he has not noticed any effects of the loss of both publications other than that they “may have picked up some single copy sales.”
Situated in the middle of the state, The Macon Telegraph lost its access to the print AJC in 2009.
George McCanless, publisher of the paper, said they have experienced one direct effect of the loss of the printed Journal-Constitution from the area.
The Telegraph received business from the AJC by acting as a carrier of the paper.
McCanless said the paper has not attempted to expand its coverage area or its distribution. The Telegraph covers seven middle Georgia counties and delivers papers to 23. Its circulation is currently 50,000 daily and 65,000 on Sundays.
To the west is Columbus, Ga., and its daily, The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
It is smaller than the Macon Telegraph in circulation figures. Daily, it is about 35,000 and 40,000 on Sundays. Senior editor for news Dimon Kendrick-Holmes said the numbers were smaller than they had been in the past.
He said the Ledger-Enquirer covers the Chattahoochee Valley area which includes such areas as Harris County, Ga., and Russell County, Ala.
Holmes-Kendrick said the Ledger-Enquirer’s goal was to reach more citizens in the area who were now looking for a daily newspaper with the loss of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
But there is a contradiction.
Holmes-Kendrick said The Ledger-Enquirer is expanding their coverage into the LaGrange/Troup County area. At the same time, he said the distribution area was smaller. Print copies of the paper are distributed in a 30-40 mile radius from the city of Columbus. Previously, the radius had been 100-150 miles.
Another city that lost the printed AJC is Athens, Ga.
The local Athens Banner-Herald is being proactive in its approach to life without the Journal-Constitution.
Melissa Hanna, executive editor, said the paper had asked readers for feedback about what they would like to see in the Banner-Herald.
She said it now includes a crossword puzzle and the paper also made some changes in comic strips. The crossword was added as one had been a daily part of the AJC.
Hanna said while the paper is currently circulated in five counties, there had been talks of increasing the distribution zone.
Overall, though, the changes are minor, Hanna said.
“We’re not doing anything we haven’t already done.”
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Magazine industry steady due to niche audiences
By: Ashley Carroll
Editor: Patrick Adams
Julie Brooks, 20, looks forward to the one day in the month when her favorite item comes in the mail: InStyle Magazine.
This fashion addict from McDonough, Ga., reads fashion to catch up on the season’s trends and where to shop, which is something you can’t find in the local newspaper.
To find out what’s happening the world, one can read the newspaper. But what about the reader who’s learning how to garden or the reader that wants to know the best advice on how to plan a wedding?
Those readers can turn to magazines. Magazines are able to concentrate on a particular subject matter, rather than local happenings of the community. Readers can find their “niche”.
“Reading a magazine is an experience that fulfills personal needs and reflects values of the reader,” according to the 2009 Magazine Publishers of America Handbook or MPA.
Although many magazines have closed, in 2008 alone 195 new publications made its way to the press, according to MPA. On the other hand, newspapers continue to close and new ones are not developing, but rather are adapting to new technology developments.
This could be the downfall of print newspaper, but the rise of magazine publications.
“I do not read newspapers in print really anymore,” said Brooks. “Anything I need to know I can go online or can watch CNN to find out what’s happening. I read magazines for fashion because it’s the easiest way to get that certain kind of information.”
Magazines are able to pinpoint a certain interest and focus on it for readers. Within the 195 new publications in 2008, the top subject categories were entertainment/celebrity, apparel/accessories and travel. Subject matters that are most likely not found in the local newspaper on a daily basis. Although many fear print media is heading downhill, readers can rest assured magazines have found their place in the market.
“Readers are going to go where their interest are,” Amanda McClees, 22, a magazine intern from Elberton, Ga. “People just don’t lose interest in their hobbies. The magazines that go along with those hobbies will have a guaranteed audience just as long as they’re printing worthy material.”
With less readers heading to the newspapers, advertisers have begun to look elsewhere to draw their business. The concentration of subject matters allows advertisers to pinpoint their audience. For example, a business that specializes in cakes can reach their intended audience easier through a bridal magazine.
The steady market of magazines has led businesses to look to this print form to get their word out.
“It makes sense that businesses are going to want to advertise where they can reach the most people,” said Whitney Morrow, 19, a business major from Marietta, Ga. “Say I want to find where to get the best shoes, I’m going to read a fashion magazine.”
According to MPA, the closing of magazines and newspapers are due to advertisements, not readership. But readership and advertisement are closely related.
If readers are not reading newspapers, advertisers are not going to want to spend the money they will probably not get back. In turn, publications are forced to shut down due to the lack of advertisement revenue.
So where do businesses turn? They go to the place where they can attract the most exposure.
Recent data released by MPA shows that 85 percent of adults 18 or older read at least one magazine regularly. This is a good sign for the struggling print media industry.
“I think it’s encouraging that people are still reading magazines,” said Caitlin Hughes, 21, a political science major from Dacula, Ga. “It just means that they’re still making money, which is always a good thing.”
Editor: Patrick Adams
Julie Brooks, 20, looks forward to the one day in the month when her favorite item comes in the mail: InStyle Magazine.
This fashion addict from McDonough, Ga., reads fashion to catch up on the season’s trends and where to shop, which is something you can’t find in the local newspaper.
To find out what’s happening the world, one can read the newspaper. But what about the reader who’s learning how to garden or the reader that wants to know the best advice on how to plan a wedding?
Those readers can turn to magazines. Magazines are able to concentrate on a particular subject matter, rather than local happenings of the community. Readers can find their “niche”.
“Reading a magazine is an experience that fulfills personal needs and reflects values of the reader,” according to the 2009 Magazine Publishers of America Handbook or MPA.
Although many magazines have closed, in 2008 alone 195 new publications made its way to the press, according to MPA. On the other hand, newspapers continue to close and new ones are not developing, but rather are adapting to new technology developments.
This could be the downfall of print newspaper, but the rise of magazine publications.
“I do not read newspapers in print really anymore,” said Brooks. “Anything I need to know I can go online or can watch CNN to find out what’s happening. I read magazines for fashion because it’s the easiest way to get that certain kind of information.”
Magazines are able to pinpoint a certain interest and focus on it for readers. Within the 195 new publications in 2008, the top subject categories were entertainment/celebrity, apparel/accessories and travel. Subject matters that are most likely not found in the local newspaper on a daily basis. Although many fear print media is heading downhill, readers can rest assured magazines have found their place in the market.
“Readers are going to go where their interest are,” Amanda McClees, 22, a magazine intern from Elberton, Ga. “People just don’t lose interest in their hobbies. The magazines that go along with those hobbies will have a guaranteed audience just as long as they’re printing worthy material.”
With less readers heading to the newspapers, advertisers have begun to look elsewhere to draw their business. The concentration of subject matters allows advertisers to pinpoint their audience. For example, a business that specializes in cakes can reach their intended audience easier through a bridal magazine.
The steady market of magazines has led businesses to look to this print form to get their word out.
“It makes sense that businesses are going to want to advertise where they can reach the most people,” said Whitney Morrow, 19, a business major from Marietta, Ga. “Say I want to find where to get the best shoes, I’m going to read a fashion magazine.”
According to MPA, the closing of magazines and newspapers are due to advertisements, not readership. But readership and advertisement are closely related.
If readers are not reading newspapers, advertisers are not going to want to spend the money they will probably not get back. In turn, publications are forced to shut down due to the lack of advertisement revenue.
So where do businesses turn? They go to the place where they can attract the most exposure.
Recent data released by MPA shows that 85 percent of adults 18 or older read at least one magazine regularly. This is a good sign for the struggling print media industry.
“I think it’s encouraging that people are still reading magazines,” said Caitlin Hughes, 21, a political science major from Dacula, Ga. “It just means that they’re still making money, which is always a good thing.”
Magazines still have high numbers despite dwindling print media industry.
As industry flounders, reporters reconsider careers
Photo by Jennifer L. Johnson. Georgia State University journalism instructor Matt J. Duffy encourages his students to pursue careers in journalism despite the floundering economy.
by Jennifer L. Johnson
Matt J. Duffy’s Facebook statuses often make him feel like he’s courtside in a short skirt, waving pompoms.
“I try to cheer up my students and reporter friends and let them know that they aren’t wasting their time with journalism,” Duffy said.
Duffy teaches communication law and media writing at Georgia State University, using stories from his years in the newsrooms of the Boston Herald and The Marietta Daily Journal to teach students about what it’s like to be a reporter.
“As far as writing, though, that’s it for me,” Duffy said. “I’d rather been in a classroom, stressing to students that they’re learning the skills here that can apply to any form that newspapers will eventually take.”
As the industry treads further into uncertain waters, reporters are starting to choose classrooms and bookstores over newsrooms. Even though enrollment at accredited journalism programs across the country has yet to decline, would-be reporters are asking questions about the future of the print media field, according to the Columbia Journalism Review.
“I tell every student the need for written-word journalists will never go away,” Duffy said. “People are always going to need written news. Not everyone is going to watch video news.”
The success of future journalists depends on their educational foundations, according to Duffy. Writing good news leads, debating ethics, and learning communication law and history are important to Duffy.
“The answer to whether or not journalists will exist tomorrow is all about keeping a check on the powerful,” Duffy said. “Journalism today will go away. It’s what it becomes next that is the issue.”
It’s an issue that Sara Player has been thinking a lot about recently. She’s a 23-year-old senior in Duffy’s media writing class, and often stays after lectures to hear more stories about covering Boston in the late ’90s.
“He’ll talk about popping in and out of the newsroom all day and calling in stories from the field,” Player said. “I keep thinking that, that won’t ever be me—that the newspaper will be dead before I get the chance.”
Though her journalism instructors assure her that newspapers will continue to exist, Player looked into transferring to the English program at GSU even though she’s a semester away from graduation.
“I have such anxiety about it,” Player said. “I feel like I need to have another option, but I really don’t want to do anything but this.”
Player plans on finishing her journalism degree and said she hopes there will be careers for journalists once she gets out of graduate school.
Winterville, Ga., resident Donny Bailey Seagraves didn't believe that journalists could make their reporting a viable career. That's why Seagraves left the Grady School of Journalism before getting her undergraduate at UGA.
"I love journalism, but I actually left before I graduated," said Seagraves. "We were in a downturn and I didn't think that I could make a living doing it."
Seagraves had several other jobs though continued to write for newspapers like the Chicago Tribune and the Athens Daily News. She still writes for Athens Magazine when she's not doing publicity for her new book.
Her children’s young adult book, Gone From These Woods, was published in August by Random House’s Delacorte Press. Seagraves has written nine books, but this is the first she’s had published.
Cathy Cobbs, Managing Editor of the Dunwoody Crier, spoke to a college journalism class last month and was surprised to learn that only one out of the thirty students reads a daily newspaper.
“Every time I hear about a magazine going under or a newspaper dying, it makes me sick,” Cobbs said.
Seagraves agrees.
"It's almost like loosing an old friend," she said. "I'm sad to see newspapers dying.”
Duffy doesn’t think that will ever happen.
“I’m going to be reading my students’ writing when I’m in my nineties,” Duffy said. “I might be reading it on a book reader-screen thing, but it will be there, and so will their jobs.”
Edited by Lauren Costley
Photo by Jennifer L. Johnson Author Donny Bailey Seagraves celebrates the August release of her middle grade childrens' book, Gone From These Woods, with a cake depicting its front-cover.
Internet and Social Networks Benefit Magazines
By: Miriam Camp
Editor: Becky Atkinson
Oct. 7, 2009
@Magazines Extra! Extra! The Internet and social networking sites will help you stay afloat.
This is advice for the magazine industry in the form of a Twitter tweet - a strategy that magazines are starting to use to stay ahead and interest readers.
Judy Johnson, a managing editor for Southern Distinction, said, “We’re jumping on the band wagon with Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. We don’t want to fall behind”
Johnson said that they were currently working on making sure they were set up with accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and blogs.
The Athens Blur Magazine’s executive editor, Alec Wooden, said that social networks have helped his physical publication, even though the magazine is free. He thinks that online and social networks help the smaller magazines.
“Big ones do it so they don’t fall behind,” said Wooden.
Shannon Baker, the publisher and editor of Athens Parent Magazine, agrees that social networks help small magazines.
She said, “I can go online [Twitter] and say, ‘It’s the advertisement deadline or we need a story about a local fisherman.’”
Contacting people in the community, like Baker is doing, would be difficult for a national magazine.
Baker is still in the process of bringing her magazine up to date with social networks. She is currently using Twitter, but has not set up a Facebook yet.
Maintaining readership has been good for Blur. “We’re in a fortunate situation because we print a low number,” said Wooden. They do not have millions of subscribers, but they are able to get rid of their copies, because they are free.
Blur produces 4,000 copies every six weeks, a total of eight issues per year. They do not have a fixed cost; therefore, it is not a struggle to distribute their magazine.
Online presence helps Blur because it keeps them in the audience’s mind when they are between publications.
Athens Parent is a bimonthly and publishes 10,000 copies of each issue. They will sometimes run a short version of a story in their magazine and have the full version online.
Southern Distinction is mostly sold by subscription, Johnson said. Copies of the magazine are also found in places such as Publix, Barnes and Noble, stores in Atlanta, and hotels in Athens, Ga.
Athens Parent is mostly distributed in Athens Clarke and
A bookseller at Barnes and Noble in Athens, Ga., Elise Stangle, who deals mostly with magazines, said it is hard to say which type of magazine is the most popular.
Although social networks and online publications are the new trend for magazine the cover of a magazine at a bookstore still draws the reader to a particular magazine.
Along those lines, Wooden said Blur’s process is simple. “[The issue] has to be something that appeals to people and looks good, Wooden said. “We try to make each issue look a little better and read better than the last.”
Blur uses a blogazine and receives about 4,000 views to their online publications. The largest viewing was around 10,000.
Wooden said, “We constantly use all the social networks.” Promotion for their physical publication is found online.
Blur’s Twitter account is mainly used to direct people to their blog. They daily receive around 400 hits a day to the blog. Facebook friends for the magazine’s account have now reached 1,470.
Wooden spoke highly of new technology, calling it hugely beneficial to the industry. “People fear that people will go online only, but if anything, it makes people crave the physical issue,” he said.
A year ago social networks were not prevalent in the industry; now they are, “necessary for survival,” Johnson said.
Baker does not believe that social networks or online publications have harmed the magazine industry.
“The whole point of reading a magazine is to sit in your tub or a comfy chair and read it,” said Baker.
John Cable, 21, the drummer for Corduroy Road, from Thomasville, Ga., looks at music magazines in Borders.
Effect of Video on Print Readership
Anna-Grace Veal, a sophomore education major, looks at the Imperial Sugar factory explosion video on the Savannah Morning News website between classes in Tate Center.
by C. Sutherland
Editor: Pricilla Kathe
When 14 people die in an explosion, words just don’t do it justice. Video does.
The Savannah Morning News video explaining how the February 2008 explosion at the Imperial Sugar plant happened was one of the paper’s most viewed videos, said Susan Catron, Executive Editor. “It explains very well how 14 people died,” she said. “I don’t know if we could’ve told that story in a better way.”
Like the Savannah Morning News, many other newspapers have been increasing their use of video to engage their readers. But the idea of readers flocking to Web sites because of video is uncertain.
The Athens Banner-Herald has been using video on their Web site for three years. Melissa Hanna, Executive Editor of the Banner-Herald, said the videos they use are all locally oriented. She said readership “is a difficult thing to determine.”
Loren Omoto, Director of Content for Tampa Bay Online, the online version of the Tampa Tribune, said, “I don't know how you'd tell that, unless you were doing promos to video [in print versions].” Tampa Bay Online gets about 10,000 views a week but does not keep page view information on specific videos.
Catron said she can’t tell if videos are paying off in print readership or not, even though they upload a lot of videos their readers want to see.
“What I think has happened is we have become a brand,” Catron said. “That’s what I want. When people are looking for news, I want them to see us as that source.”
Catron said deciding when to use video depends on which stories are better told in that medium. For some stories, it gives that added dimension, she said.
The Savannah Morning News monitors how many times a video has been viewed and passed on to friends. “That’s key—if it was passed along,” Catron said.
Dave Enna is the Web site Manager for Content at the Charlotte Observer, which has been using video for six years. The paper produces about 15 videos a week. Video page views are only a small amount of the millions of page views the Observer gets daily, Enna said. In spite of this, they continue to see video as a plus.
Enna said videos are good for certain types of content. The Observer recently did a video story about a child with a severe disability due to a brain tumor. “[Readers] could see how the child acted due to the disorder,” he said. “This helped support the story.”
Catron says the Savannah Morning News also provides their readers access to AP videos from their AP feed. Readers pick what they want to see from the feed. The Charlotte Observer also subscribes to the AP video feed. “We get 1000 page views a day from it,” Enna said.
###
The Observer, the Savannah Morning News and the Banner-Herald all rely heavily on video for sports coverage. At the Charlotte Observer, two videos are produced each week to cover sports. Sometimes the Observer embeds YouTube videos and provides streamlined, live video, Enna said.
The Savannah Morning News also does Web casts for local football in addition to Web casts for movie reviews and music reviews. Catron said they plan to add Podcasts this year to further vary their news delivery methods. “You have to throw [ideas] at the wall and see what makes them stick.”
###
Digital devices provide new way to read
By BECKY ATKINSON
Edited by MIRIAM CAMP
Running out of battery has never been a problem for print media before.
New digital devices such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader are providing a new way to read books and newspapers - electronically.
Though these digital devices offer a new way to read and other benefits that may be improvements over print reading, these new devices have new problems that print media have never had to face.
“Last night my Kindle ran out of battery,” said Scott Shamp, director of the New Media Institute at the University of Georgia. “This is never been a problem with print books.”
Shamp downloaded his first Kindle book four days ago, a book called “Loving Frank” about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Before he had only read newspapers on his Kindle.
“It’s something really cool to wish I had the New York Times and then, boom. I do.” Shamp said.
Newspapers are embracing devices such as the Kindle as a way to cut costs and encourage people to pay for subscriptions.
“We'd welcome people reading us on Kindle,” said Charles Gay, Sunday editor for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “As long as people are paying for our product, we don't particularly care what the format is. In fact, Kindle has the advantage of saving us the cost of newsprint and delivery, which are two of our three biggest expenses.”
Though his Kindle ran out of battery, Shamp still thinks the Kindle has some great features. He loves being able to change the font size, being able to make notes and to access a dictionary directly from the Kindle.
Being able to buy books immediately is another feature he enjoys.
“The other night after I finished my book, I just went online and downloaded another one,” Shamp said. “It took two minutes.”
He also hasn’t noticed a problem reading a book from a screen instead of printed pages.
Dr. Shamp believes the Kindle and other digital devices will ultimately be successful.
“I think it has to,” he said. “We can’t have more dead trees.”
Elizabeth Davis, director of the writing certificate program and an English professor at UGA, agrees that there are pros for the Kindle and other such digital devices.
For one thing, downloading digital books is cheaper and more economical, and thus more affordable for people.
According to Amazon.com, the price of the new Dan Brown book “The Lost Symbol” is $9.99. The print version is $29.95.
Shamp was impressed by the fact that an individual issue of the New York Times is only 75 cents.
Davis also thinks people will like the portability of the digital devices. The Kindle weighs 18.9 ounces and has a 9.7 inch display screen and is as thin as a pencil.
Another feature of digital devices Davis thinks will be beneficial is the greater access people will have to a wider variety of texts.
“The more that goes online, the more access we’ll have,” Davis said.
The benefits of increased access are similar to benefits the Gutenberg Project and the Google Book Project provides. More books will be available for everyone to read.
Despite these features, Davis still does not have a Kindle, mainly because of the hefty price tag.
“What limits people is the first initial outlay of cost for the device,” Davis said.
The Kindle costs $299, but the Kindle DX, the newest Kindle with improved features such as larger screen size, costs $489.
But even without having to pay for the device, some students at Princeton University still aren’t satisfied. Two weeks ago, 50 students received a free Kindle DX as part of Amazon’s Kindle e-reader pilot program.
According to The Daily Princetonian, Princeton’s independent student newspaper, students seemed to agree that the devices made it difficult to annotate books, such as highlighting and writing in the margins.
Davis believes some people will like digital readers such as the Kindle and some will not.
“It’s not an either-or situation,” she said. “Books and digital devices are going to co-exist.”
Peggy Gaffney, an employee at Borders bookstore in Athens, has experience with digital devices and books co-existing.
Borders all over the country are selling the Sony Reader, another digital reader that is similar to the Kindle.
The Sony Reader provides many of the same features as the Kindle but with a lower price tag. Prices range from $199 to $299, according to the Sony website.
“We’ve done well with it,” Gaffney said about the Sony Reader. “Now that it’s come out with a new version, I expect it to do well. A lot of people are interested, especially for the holidays.”
Gaffney agrees with Davis on the fact that some people will like the digital devices and some people won’t.
“I don’t think it’s for everyone,” Gaffney said. “There will be certain people who like it and some who don’t. Some people won’t want to mess with another electronic.”
Gaffney is not worried about selling a machine that some think might take the place of books.
We’re just providing another way to read books, she said.
Edited by MIRIAM CAMP
Running out of battery has never been a problem for print media before.
New digital devices such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader are providing a new way to read books and newspapers - electronically.
Though these digital devices offer a new way to read and other benefits that may be improvements over print reading, these new devices have new problems that print media have never had to face.
“Last night my Kindle ran out of battery,” said Scott Shamp, director of the New Media Institute at the University of Georgia. “This is never been a problem with print books.”
Shamp downloaded his first Kindle book four days ago, a book called “Loving Frank” about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Before he had only read newspapers on his Kindle.
“It’s something really cool to wish I had the New York Times and then, boom. I do.” Shamp said.
Newspapers are embracing devices such as the Kindle as a way to cut costs and encourage people to pay for subscriptions.
“We'd welcome people reading us on Kindle,” said Charles Gay, Sunday editor for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “As long as people are paying for our product, we don't particularly care what the format is. In fact, Kindle has the advantage of saving us the cost of newsprint and delivery, which are two of our three biggest expenses.”
Though his Kindle ran out of battery, Shamp still thinks the Kindle has some great features. He loves being able to change the font size, being able to make notes and to access a dictionary directly from the Kindle.
Being able to buy books immediately is another feature he enjoys.
“The other night after I finished my book, I just went online and downloaded another one,” Shamp said. “It took two minutes.”
He also hasn’t noticed a problem reading a book from a screen instead of printed pages.
Dr. Shamp believes the Kindle and other digital devices will ultimately be successful.
“I think it has to,” he said. “We can’t have more dead trees.”
Elizabeth Davis, director of the writing certificate program and an English professor at UGA, agrees that there are pros for the Kindle and other such digital devices.
For one thing, downloading digital books is cheaper and more economical, and thus more affordable for people.
According to Amazon.com, the price of the new Dan Brown book “The Lost Symbol” is $9.99. The print version is $29.95.
Shamp was impressed by the fact that an individual issue of the New York Times is only 75 cents.
Davis also thinks people will like the portability of the digital devices. The Kindle weighs 18.9 ounces and has a 9.7 inch display screen and is as thin as a pencil.
Another feature of digital devices Davis thinks will be beneficial is the greater access people will have to a wider variety of texts.
“The more that goes online, the more access we’ll have,” Davis said.
The benefits of increased access are similar to benefits the Gutenberg Project and the Google Book Project provides. More books will be available for everyone to read.
Despite these features, Davis still does not have a Kindle, mainly because of the hefty price tag.
“What limits people is the first initial outlay of cost for the device,” Davis said.
The Kindle costs $299, but the Kindle DX, the newest Kindle with improved features such as larger screen size, costs $489.
But even without having to pay for the device, some students at Princeton University still aren’t satisfied. Two weeks ago, 50 students received a free Kindle DX as part of Amazon’s Kindle e-reader pilot program.
According to The Daily Princetonian, Princeton’s independent student newspaper, students seemed to agree that the devices made it difficult to annotate books, such as highlighting and writing in the margins.
Davis believes some people will like digital readers such as the Kindle and some will not.
“It’s not an either-or situation,” she said. “Books and digital devices are going to co-exist.”
Peggy Gaffney, an employee at Borders bookstore in Athens, has experience with digital devices and books co-existing.
Borders all over the country are selling the Sony Reader, another digital reader that is similar to the Kindle.
The Sony Reader provides many of the same features as the Kindle but with a lower price tag. Prices range from $199 to $299, according to the Sony website.
“We’ve done well with it,” Gaffney said about the Sony Reader. “Now that it’s come out with a new version, I expect it to do well. A lot of people are interested, especially for the holidays.”
Gaffney agrees with Davis on the fact that some people will like the digital devices and some people won’t.
“I don’t think it’s for everyone,” Gaffney said. “There will be certain people who like it and some who don’t. Some people won’t want to mess with another electronic.”
Gaffney is not worried about selling a machine that some think might take the place of books.
We’re just providing another way to read books, she said.
New Revenue Sources in Internet Age
By: Rebekah Baldwin
Edited by: Rachel Bunn
10/7/09
The Internet has made the dissemination of news hard to control and even harder to charge for.
When the Internet first started becoming a source of media, the industry didn’t have a model to charge for online content. As a result, illegal downloading flourished, and newspapers, knowing they had to create an online presence, started putting their stories up for free. Paying customers began to expect their music, news, and other online content free of charge.
In response to this, the music business has started to exploit other revenue sources. Ringtones, merchandise sales and song placement in movies, TV shows and commercials, have all become more important ways to generate profit than ever before.
Some in the music business have even learned to take advantage of the benefits that free music has to offer. Lindsey Epperly, a third-year music business certificate student at the University of Georgia, is the street team director for a band called the Dirty Guv’nahs. She is also an advocate of using free music as a promotional tool.
“I think it allows the artist to build a growing relationship with their fans, helps them connect, and often promotes their group, pages and mailing lists by directing them to the site where they're giving away music,” said Epperly.
The music industry might be able to replace some of the loss of recorded music sales with other revenue streams, but it will be harder for the news industry to survive without their traditional 3-legged stool: subscriptions, newsstand sales and advertising.
With both subscription numbers and newsstand sales down, newspapers and magazines have to rely more and more on a single source of income- advertising.
Not all publications are ready to abandon circulation and newsstand revenues, however.
“Marketing for circulation is an ongoing strategic part of the newspaper business, even though we recognize that the internet is a viable way to get our product out there,” says Jenna Wages, Strategic Innovative Director of Marketing at the Athens Banner-Herald. “We’re not going to just give up one one area of our business because its not doing well.”
For The Fayette Citizen, a local paper that covers Fayette County, Ga., a single source of income is nothing new. The paper has always been free, and survives on advertising revenue alone.
A publication that survives solely on advertising could potentially be a source of ethical conflict, but Joyce Beverly, the Fayette Citizen’s publisher, says she has no concerns on this issue.
“I don’t have a single ethical problem with it. Really, we don’t run into many problems. If you want an advertorial, I’ll sell you one,” Beverly says.
Even if the ethical issues are taken out of the equation, there are other problems associated with relying on a single source of income. If advertising dollars dry up, the publication has no other revenue source to back it up.
This has become a problem in the current economic climate, as total advertising expenditures were down nearly 17 percent in 2008, and internet advertising fell for the first time since its introduction according to a report by the Newspapers Association of America. Additionally, the competition for classified ads with Craigslist has significantly reduced newspapers’ advertising revenue.
But Beverly believes it is still possible for publications to survive on advertising alone.
“I really believe that you can survive on ad revenue. Google’s the biggest company in the world, and they get their revenue strictly from advertisements,” she says.
While there has been a shift of focus to online, advertisers still consider print media an important outlet, according to Laura Rhachard, Media Coordinator for Sliced Bread advertising agency.
“[Clients] have definitely shown more interest in going to the online advertisement,” but more traditional clients still want to stick to print, said Rhachard.
“I think there will always be a market for that, but it might get smaller.”
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