MUSINGS: Changes in the newspaper industry
by Jake Krob · March 05, 2008

This small-town newspaper publisher has never been one to feel very well about being lumped in with “the media.”

That goes for when people talk about “all the negativity in the media” or how “the media” is driving trends ranging from politics to consumerism.

And now, I say we’re not with “the media” when it comes to changes in the industry.

Most recently, here in Eastern Iowa, the Iowa City Press-Citizen decided not to deliver to homes in Tipton, my hometown. Circulation is too low to justify the cost of carriers. The Des Moines Register made the same decision, but says it will likely keep delivering the Sunday Register to folks’ homes.

And then there was this last week: The Press-Citizen in Iowa City is shutting down its printing operation. The daily paper will now be printed in Des Moines – at the Register, which Gannett owns along with the Press-Citizen.

Close to home, we’re seeing a trend that was a focus of our state’s newspaper convention early last month. It’s the trend of people turning to other sources – the Internet, their cell phones – for news. Lots of companies are investing heavily in technology and staff to deliver news in that way.

Where does that leave us – the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Suns of the world?

We’re doing just fine.

Like any small business, there are ups and downs. Indeed, there are times when you say, “I would never in my wildest dreams want to be doing anything else.” And there are times when you say, “Geez, this is tough.”

But I make three points when people talk about the changes in the media industry and how it might relate to small-town papers like your Sun.

1 – We’re still an effective, efficient, relatively inexpensive marketing tool for businesses to reach customers with their messages through advertising. What else can deliver your advertising message to every household in Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Martelle, Mechanicsville and Stanwood for as little as 7 bucks a week?

2 – It’s true that with more and more information on the Internet, you have more access than ever before to what’s “news” than ever before. But you’re also busier than ever before. Why spend your precious time fishing for the information you want, when for 55 cents a week, based on the subscription price, we’ll deliver it to your mailbox.

3 – People still care deeply about their community, which is our focus as a local paper. Our hope is that citizens of our towns engage with their communities; we work to make sure our newspapers help them do that. As long as people continue to care about their communities, their community newspapers will be strong.

There’s no doubt, the media picture out there sometimes paints a gloomy picture of the media industry.

Guess they don’t work in a great place like Mount Vernon and Lisbon.