As a public service alternative to football games, here are a few end-of-the-year items of interest:
The 100 Essential Websites from the Guardian of London
How Google Changed the Game in 2009 from Smartware
Newspapers and Technology: Network Effects from The Economist
What Does it Mean to be Literate in the 21st Century? a video from bibliosmartgirl
Happy new year to all!
Showing posts with label Newspapers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newspapers. Show all posts
December 31, 2009
May 6, 2009
Amazon's Kindle DX Debuts as Newspaper, Textbook Reader
As widely rumored, Amazon has announced a new, larger version of the Kindle, the “Kindle DX.”
Amazon is promoting the new Kindle as a textbook reader and has deals with publishers Cengage, Pearson, and Wiley. Amazon is also working with several universities to make the device available to their students in the fall. However, the $489 price tag may limit student usage, unless the cost is subsidized.
The device is also aimed at newspaper readers and will allow people to share personal documents. As the Wall Street Journal puts it, this “underscores Amazon’s ambition to turn the device from a niche gadget to a more mass-market electronic reader.”
The Kindle DX is currently available for pre-order. Amazon is not giving an exact delivery date, saying it will be “this summer.”
First impressions of the new device all popping up all over the Web:
Amazon is promoting the new Kindle as a textbook reader and has deals with publishers Cengage, Pearson, and Wiley. Amazon is also working with several universities to make the device available to their students in the fall. However, the $489 price tag may limit student usage, unless the cost is subsidized.
The device is also aimed at newspaper readers and will allow people to share personal documents. As the Wall Street Journal puts it, this “underscores Amazon’s ambition to turn the device from a niche gadget to a more mass-market electronic reader.”
The Kindle DX is currently available for pre-order. Amazon is not giving an exact delivery date, saying it will be “this summer.”
First impressions of the new device all popping up all over the Web:
- The New York Times, First Impressions of the New Kindle DX
- PC World, Kindle DX: First Impressions of the Large Doc Reader
- CNN Money.com, Amazon’s Newest Kindle Takes Aim at Newspapers
- The Wall Street Journal, Amazon Debuts $489 Kindle DX
May 1, 2009
More Trouble in the Newspaper Industry
More newspaper giants are struggling.
The Washington Post Co. reported a quarterly net loss, as print advertising revenue plunged more than 30% at its flagship newspaper. The Post posted a net loss of $19.5 million in the first quarter of 2009, compared with a net profit of $39.3 million in the same quarter last year. It was the second time in less than a year that the Post fell into the red. It recorded its first ever net loss in the second quarter of 2008.
Meanwhile, right next door, the Baltimore Sun slashed its newsroom by nearly a third in the latest cuts at the ailing newspaper owned by the bankrupt Tribune Co. Sixty-one staffers in the newspaper's 205-person newsroom were laid off at the end of April. The move came one week after another Tribune paper, the Chicago Tribune, eliminated 53 jobs in its newsroom.
The Washington Post Co. reported a quarterly net loss, as print advertising revenue plunged more than 30% at its flagship newspaper. The Post posted a net loss of $19.5 million in the first quarter of 2009, compared with a net profit of $39.3 million in the same quarter last year. It was the second time in less than a year that the Post fell into the red. It recorded its first ever net loss in the second quarter of 2008.
Meanwhile, right next door, the Baltimore Sun slashed its newsroom by nearly a third in the latest cuts at the ailing newspaper owned by the bankrupt Tribune Co. Sixty-one staffers in the newspaper's 205-person newsroom were laid off at the end of April. The move came one week after another Tribune paper, the Chicago Tribune, eliminated 53 jobs in its newsroom.
April 23, 2009
Traffic to Newspaper Websites Up 10.5%
While more and more print editions of newspapers fold, newspaper websites attracted an average of 73.3 million unique visitors per month in the first three months of 2009, a 10.5% jump from the same period last year, according to Nielsen Online.
The average number of pages views climbed nearly 13 percent to 3.5 billion. Both figures were the highest since 2004, according to the Newspaper Association of America, which commissioned the analysis.
The Nielsen figures are the latest to show a growing audience for newspapers on the web, even as publishers continue to struggle in their search for a viable online business model to replace falling print revenue.
[via Yahoo Tech]
The average number of pages views climbed nearly 13 percent to 3.5 billion. Both figures were the highest since 2004, according to the Newspaper Association of America, which commissioned the analysis.
The Nielsen figures are the latest to show a growing audience for newspapers on the web, even as publishers continue to struggle in their search for a viable online business model to replace falling print revenue.
[via Yahoo Tech]
One Reason Why Newspapers Are Declining?
This from the Christian Science Monitor:
According to the Gannett Blog, an editor at the Gannett newspaper company recently told his underlings to avoid social network sites. Here’s a bit of the alleged newsroom memo:
Wrong, wrong, wrong. While it’s true that fantasy baseball leagues aren’t exactly work-appropriate, Twitter certainly is. How many stories have been broken over the last few months through Twitter alone? We’ll give you a hint: you’ll need more than ten fingers.
According to the Gannett Blog, an editor at the Gannett newspaper company recently told his underlings to avoid social network sites. Here’s a bit of the alleged newsroom memo:
It has come to my attention that some staff members are spending a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites during work hours. Also, some staff members apparently are spending work time on Fantasy baseball research and other personal recreation activities. This is not appropriate. It is not part of the job."
Wrong, wrong, wrong. While it’s true that fantasy baseball leagues aren’t exactly work-appropriate, Twitter certainly is. How many stories have been broken over the last few months through Twitter alone? We’ll give you a hint: you’ll need more than ten fingers.
April 21, 2009
CQ Researcher Discusses the Future of Journalism
Another day, another small newspaper ends its print run. This time, the Hamtramck Citizen has stopped publishing as of April 20. This joins a growing list of papers such as The Troy Eccentric, Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and Ann Arbor News, which have all cut back on print publication or are ceasing to publish altogether.
The newspaper industry is rapidly changing. With these changes, how is this going to affect the future of journalism? CQ Researcher, a database that the Troy Public Library offers, has recently issued a report regarding this topic. It outlines the history of newspapers, where the industry stands today, and also offers pro and con opinions regarding the future of print newspapers.
To access CQ Researcher and read this report, you must have a valid Troy Library card. Click the "Information On Demand" link on our homepage, click Social Sciences from the subject listings, and then click CQ Researcher. The Future of Journalism report can be accessed along the right-hand side under the "Recent Reports" heading. Additional reports discuss wrongful convictions, business bankruptcy, extreme sports, and the future of the GOP.
April 14, 2009
New York Times and Barron's Availalble Digitally at TPL
Recently, both The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press have started marketing digital image editions of their papers. These digital editions differ from a newspaper's website in that they maintain the layout and feel of the print edition.
While we don't have institutional access to digital editions of the Detroit papers, we do have access to digital image editions of the New York Times. These image editions are full scans of the actual paper, and include all material that was published, including articles, graphics, pictures, and advertisements. Having all of the content is great for actually reading the paper, but also being able to see advertisements can be useful to someone planning a trip to New York.
We have access to not only the daily editions of the New York Times, but also the New York Times Book Review, New York Times Magazine, and also the advanced Sunday edition of the New York Times. Back issues are maintained for 1 year.
We have access to not only the daily editions of the New York Times, but also the New York Times Book Review, New York Times Magazine, and also the advanced Sunday edition of the New York Times. Back issues are maintained for 1 year.
For people interested in business and investing news, we also have Barron's magazine in an digital image edition format.
To access digital editions of these publications from our website, you must have a Troy Public Library card. Click the "Information On Demand" link on our homepage, click Magazines, Journals, and Newspapers, from the subject listings, and then click which publication you wish to view. Be sure to select one of the "Image Edition" options to see the entire paper as published.
The other New York Times link provides access to a database where you can search for articles from 1985 to the present
The other New York Times link provides access to a database where you can search for articles from 1985 to the present
April 13, 2009
Troy Eccentric Set to Shut Down May 31
The crumbling of the newspaper industry continues. Five Southeast Michigan Observer & Eccentric Newspapers, including the Troy Eccentric, will cease both print and web publications on May 31, according to an article published today on the Detroit Free Press website.
For more information, check out the original article here.
April 6, 2009
March 27, 2009
Fun Friday: A Reason for Print? Part II
I have to agree with these folks; part of me is going to miss the newspapers.
March 24, 2009
Several Daily Michigan Newspapers to Consolidate or Fold
Not only are big city newspapers in trouble.
According the Detroit News website, eight Michigan daily newspapers have announced plans to cut home delivery or close for good.
In July, the Ann Arbor News will close and be replaced by AnnArbor.com, which will produce news and other content daily on the Web and twice-weekly in print.
Starting June 1, the Flint Journal, the Saginaw News and the Bay City Times will publish print editions only on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, while maintaining a daily Web presence. Four other papers -- the Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, and Muskegon Chronicle -- will publish daily but consolidate some operations and reduce wages and benefits.
The local newspaper industry has mirrored the chaos in the national industry. The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are reducing their print subscriptions to three days a week, and in March, the publisher of the Oakland Press, the Macomb Daily and Royal Oak's Daily Tribune, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.
It will be interesting to see the state of Michigan newspapers at the end of 2009.
According the Detroit News website, eight Michigan daily newspapers have announced plans to cut home delivery or close for good.
In July, the Ann Arbor News will close and be replaced by AnnArbor.com, which will produce news and other content daily on the Web and twice-weekly in print.
Starting June 1, the Flint Journal, the Saginaw News and the Bay City Times will publish print editions only on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, while maintaining a daily Web presence. Four other papers -- the Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, and Muskegon Chronicle -- will publish daily but consolidate some operations and reduce wages and benefits.
The local newspaper industry has mirrored the chaos in the national industry. The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are reducing their print subscriptions to three days a week, and in March, the publisher of the Oakland Press, the Macomb Daily and Royal Oak's Daily Tribune, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.
It will be interesting to see the state of Michigan newspapers at the end of 2009.
March 17, 2009
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Goes All Online
As I wrote might happen, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ended its print edition today and has become the latest big-city newspaper to go all online.
[via boingboing]
[via boingboing]
March 12, 2009
More Bad News for Local Newspapers
As many major big-city newspapers appear ready to collapse, more bad news for the print media industry: according the weekly News Interest Index, conducted March 6-9, by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, fewer than half of Americans (43%) say that losing their local newspaper would hurt civic life in their community "a lot." Even fewer (33%) say they would personally miss reading the local newspaper a lot if it were no longer available.
When it comes to local news, more people say they get that news from local television stations than any other source. Sixty-eight percent say they regularly get local news from television reports or television station websites, 48% say they regularly get news from local newspapers in print or online, 34% say they get local news regularly from radio and 31% say they get their local news, more generally, from the Internet.
When it comes to local news, more people say they get that news from local television stations than any other source. Sixty-eight percent say they regularly get local news from television reports or television station websites, 48% say they regularly get news from local newspapers in print or online, 34% say they get local news regularly from radio and 31% say they get their local news, more generally, from the Internet.
March 8, 2009
Seattle Post-Intelligencer to Go All Online?
According to Reuters [via Wired.com], it looks like the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the longest-published newspaper in Seattle, is going to stop publishing a print edition and go all-online.
Several reporters said they had received offers from the paper’s owner, the Hearst Corporation, to work for an online-only successor to the print edition. One reporter was quoted as saying that an online-only paper would employ about 20 people. The newspaper now has a staff of about 150.
Hearst said on January 9, that it would close the paper or go all-online if it could not find a buyer in 60 days. No buyer has emerged and an announcement on the paper’s future is expected next week.
Several reporters said they had received offers from the paper’s owner, the Hearst Corporation, to work for an online-only successor to the print edition. One reporter was quoted as saying that an online-only paper would employ about 20 people. The newspaper now has a staff of about 150.
Hearst said on January 9, that it would close the paper or go all-online if it could not find a buyer in 60 days. No buyer has emerged and an announcement on the paper’s future is expected next week.
February 28, 2009
Newsday to Charge for Website
According to Yinka Adegoke, writing for Reuters on Wired.com:
Read about Newsday’s plans.
"Cablevision Systems plans to charge online readers of its Newsday newspaper [which covers Long Island], a move that would make it one of the first large U.S. papers to reverse a trend toward free Web readership…
"Our goal was and is to use our electronic network assets and subscriber relationships to transform the way news is distributed," Cablevision Chief Operating Officer Tom Rutledge said. "We plan to end the distribution of free Web content and make our news gathering capabilities a service for our customers," he added."
Read about Newsday’s plans.
February 26, 2009
Newspapers Grow Online, Shrink in Print
According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Newspapers Face a Challenging Calculus:
The trend is unmistakable: Fewer Americans are reading print newspapers as more turn to the Internet for their news. And while the percentage of people who read newspapers online is growing rapidly, especially among younger generations, that growth has not offset the decline in print readership.
In the Pew Research Center's 2008 news media consumption survey, 39% said they read a newspaper yesterday -- either print or online -- down from 43% in 2006. The proportion reporting that they read just the print version of a newspaper fell by roughly a quarter, from 34% to 25% over the two-year period.
Overall newspaper readership declined in spite of an increase in the number of people reading online newspapers: 14% of Americans said they read a newspaper online yesterday, up from 9% in 2006. This includes those who said they read only a newspaper online (9% in 2008), as well as those who said they read both print and Web versions of a newspaper (5%). These numbers may not include the number of people who read content produced by newspapers, but accessed through aggregation sites or portals such as Google or Yahoo.
The trend is unmistakable: Fewer Americans are reading print newspapers as more turn to the Internet for their news. And while the percentage of people who read newspapers online is growing rapidly, especially among younger generations, that growth has not offset the decline in print readership.
In the Pew Research Center's 2008 news media consumption survey, 39% said they read a newspaper yesterday -- either print or online -- down from 43% in 2006. The proportion reporting that they read just the print version of a newspaper fell by roughly a quarter, from 34% to 25% over the two-year period.
Overall newspaper readership declined in spite of an increase in the number of people reading online newspapers: 14% of Americans said they read a newspaper online yesterday, up from 9% in 2006. This includes those who said they read only a newspaper online (9% in 2008), as well as those who said they read both print and Web versions of a newspaper (5%). These numbers may not include the number of people who read content produced by newspapers, but accessed through aggregation sites or portals such as Google or Yahoo.
February 24, 2009
Google Thoughts
Here's one to make Phillip's heart go aflutter. Jonathan Rosenberg of Google posts on the Google Blog his vision for the future of searching and the ubiquitous nature of information. It's very compelling, but also, as usual, a little unnerving for anyone with quaint notions of privacy and the value-added expertise of professionals, like, oh I don't know, maybe... librarians!
Rosenberg states rather placidly: "Why should a user have to ask us a question to get the information she needs?"
This is a big part of Google's vision, to build profiles of individual user usage and interest indexes that would, by definition, require them to know who you are, what you are doing, and when you are doing it. That strike anyone else as a wee bit frightening? But one cannot use these technologies and come away unimpressed. The question for me, however, is at what cost do these impressive tools come?
I am encouraged, though, by thoughts like these:
But make no mistake, Google intends to make all the added-value determinations of what is quality and what matters to you. Here my concern could be more broadly interpreted as lowest common data denominator, which I'm certain Google will argue is not the case. I certainly hope not. Regardless, this is a fascinating company doing some incredibly fascinating things that anyone interested in how information is owned, shared, and disseminated should follow very closely. We will.
Rosenberg states rather placidly: "Why should a user have to ask us a question to get the information she needs?"
This is a big part of Google's vision, to build profiles of individual user usage and interest indexes that would, by definition, require them to know who you are, what you are doing, and when you are doing it. That strike anyone else as a wee bit frightening? But one cannot use these technologies and come away unimpressed. The question for me, however, is at what cost do these impressive tools come?
I am encouraged, though, by thoughts like these:
This is both good and bad news. No one argues the value of free speech, but the vast majority of stuff we find on the web is useless. The clamor of junk threatens to drown out voices of quality.
But make no mistake, Google intends to make all the added-value determinations of what is quality and what matters to you. Here my concern could be more broadly interpreted as lowest common data denominator, which I'm certain Google will argue is not the case. I certainly hope not. Regardless, this is a fascinating company doing some incredibly fascinating things that anyone interested in how information is owned, shared, and disseminated should follow very closely. We will.
February 19, 2009
The Kindle is So Yesterday...
Technology marches on. Today, the Kindle. Tomorrow -- literally -- Plastic Logic? Yep. Sorry Jeff Bezos of Amazon, but your 15 nano seconds of fame concerning reader technology appear to be up.
Imagine what comes after tomorrow.
[Hat tip to coolhunting.com]
Imagine what comes after tomorrow.
[Hat tip to coolhunting.com]
January 30, 2009
Fun Friday: Read a Newspaper on Your Home Computer!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away -- 1981 in San Francisco, to be exact -- computer geeks actually suggested that we might be able to read daily newspapers on our home computers, "in a few year."
Imagine that!
Note the reporter's final comment: "Well, it takes over two hours to receive the entire text of the newspaper... and with an hourly use charge of $5 per hour, the new telepaper won't be much competition for the 20 cents street edition."
Imagine that!
Note the reporter's final comment: "Well, it takes over two hours to receive the entire text of the newspaper... and with an hourly use charge of $5 per hour, the new telepaper won't be much competition for the 20 cents street edition."
December 16, 2008
Detroit News and Free Press Considering Cutting Back Home Delivery, Focus On Web
News is coming from multiple sources that the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News may be ending daily home delivery and promoting their websites instead.
Courtesy of Yahoo Finance:
This news follows the growing trend started by the Christian Science Monitor, and more recently PC Magazine, of newspapers pushing towards digital. Unfortunately, this news from the Free Press and News, show the downsides of switching to a more digitally focused medium, as workers fear for losing their jobs.
Ultimately this decision, if made, will benefit the consumer by providing more up to the minute news, and easier delivery. Though it appears that the effect on the workers may be more negative, with job cuts and layoffs in their future. According to Freep.com, the Detroit newspapers will have a major announcement at 11 am. This post will be updated with the breaking news as it happens.
Who knows, we might all be holding Kindles in our hands sooner then we thought...
Courtesy of Yahoo Finance:
[The Wall Street] Journal said home delivery would be limited to Thursday, Friday and Sunday, with an "abbreviated" print edition available at newsstands on other days. Readers would also be directed to the papers' Web sites.
The changes likely would mean major job cuts, the Journal said.
The Free Press, owned by Gannett Co., had a daily circulation of 314,554 at the end of March; 618,324 on Sunday. The News, owned by MediaNews Group Inc., had daily circulation of 178,280. It does not publish a print edition on Sunday.
Bassett said the papers recognize the "tremendous importance of digital communication and finding ways to better deliver news and information to people in ways that are most convenient to them."
Reporter M.L. Elrick, vice chairman of the Free Press unit of the Detroit Newspaper Guild, said there's anxiety in the newsroom.
"Everyone here is afraid we're going to have staff cuts," he said. "I wish I had my sources call me as often as my colleagues have called the past couple days. No one knows where this is going to end up."
This news follows the growing trend started by the Christian Science Monitor, and more recently PC Magazine, of newspapers pushing towards digital. Unfortunately, this news from the Free Press and News, show the downsides of switching to a more digitally focused medium, as workers fear for losing their jobs.
Ultimately this decision, if made, will benefit the consumer by providing more up to the minute news, and easier delivery. Though it appears that the effect on the workers may be more negative, with job cuts and layoffs in their future. According to Freep.com, the Detroit newspapers will have a major announcement at 11 am. This post will be updated with the breaking news as it happens.
Who knows, we might all be holding Kindles in our hands sooner then we thought...
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