Print Isn't Gone Yet, but It's Not Coming Back
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Christian Science Monitor Sets an Example to Follow
That The Christian Science Monitor is going online-only with its daily coverage in April is huge news -- and it's also exactly the kind of necessary change I was talking about yesterday in my newspaper lament. It's a radical step, but the reasoning for it, as explained in The New York Times, is sound:
John Yemma, The Monitor's editor, said that moving to the Web only will mean it can keep its eight foreign bureaus open while still lowering costs.
"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.
The Monitor, which now publishes a daily print edition, will hedge its bets by introducing a Sunday magazine.
Imagine: Keeping the content -- and most of the editorial jobs -- by slashing printing costs and other print-related expenses, like production and distribution. Adding a Sunday magazine to appeal to print advertisers. And all that while facing reality and accepting the inevitable now rather than down the road!
This just might turn me into a Christian Scientist.
While I was not a reader of the CSM, I must admit that I read most newspapers online myself. Sign of the times... Yet, I find it sad that the glory days of the printed newspaper are clearly history - some of the biggest dailies are struggling seriously. Soon we will carry out 'Kindle' to the coffeehouse. Not quite the same...