Concerned about our daily morning newspaper.

[bwalsh22]

Guys

With the XM radio deal, beware if you are approached for the deal that was offered to me for the $20 that you have to use a credit card and if you forget to contact them at the end of the term that they renew the subscription at FULL price.

Anybody that has a Citi bank credit card has the option of using a virtual card number that is good for only one transaction so they can't nail you for another subscription if you forget to notify them to cancel at the end of the trial period.:s

Yup, thanks for the warning! I used a credit card that i was getting ready to cancel anyway

 

[masher]

Pittsburgh used to have 2 different named papers. One for AM one for PM.
They have been consolidated and have lesson to the point if you added all 7 days now they would not equal what Sunday alone used to be.. As to some of The Tourists comments I work in a school district now and do not see to many books but lots of computers. The ironic thing is you should see some of the ways the kids are spelling common words at a applied high school level. Most spell words as the sound and not correctly. Maybe if they had newspapers and books they would at least learn to spell properly.

I totally agree, dbmg, and I am growing ever more concerned about the books and newspapers written since about 2000. Many that I have read have been sorely lacking in proper grammar, correct spelling, etc. Local TV news is just as bad these days. It seems that not a day goes by where I don't see one or more spelling errors in the text displayed during the newscast. We are in a world of hurt because of our educational system and the accelerating lack of responsibility in our current society.

 

[horizonchaser]

Guys

With the XM radio deal, beware if you are approached for the deal that was offered to me for the $20 that you have to use a credit card and if you forget to contact them at the end of the term that they renew the subscription at FULL price.

Anybody that has a Citi bank credit card has the option of using a virtual card number that is good for only one transaction so they can't nail you for another subscription if you forget to notify them to cancel at the end of the trial period.:s

Now that is useful information. I can't tell you how many times we've been slammed with renewed subscriptions when we didn't want to renew!

 

[slk53]

I think it is all about money, as most things are. The size of a newspaper has nothing to do with events in the world, it is totally driven by advertising. As far as content, in Boston we have 2 newspapers that are either too far to the left or too far to the right.

 

[The Tourist]

Our papers used to be timely and well written. Now they are simply dumbed-down versions of 'USA Today.' It's more of a coloring book than a repository for information.

As for advertisers, our Sunday paper is nothing but advertising. The paper is of poorer quality and one of the papers really doesn't exist anymore, it's just an insert.

With so many papers going bankrupt you'd think smarter owners would adjust their business model and get a clue. They are not doing so. I think our paper will fold in a very few years, as well.

 

[The4opps1]

The problems stated in this post must be endemic as in our small 'berg one of the daily papers has gone belly up and the other has doubled in price to $1. As mentioned, most people get their info online. Also, I'm right with Glider on the Sirius XM. If I could pay for 5 months and then be done with it, I'd bite. But having to contact them to cancel is something I'm not getting into.....I've been that route and it's a pain.....

 

[The Tourist]

As mentioned, most people get their info online.

Agreed. You can sign onto The Wiscosnin State Journal for free. They even have a section where you can write a letter to the editor without using a stamp. With that there is an ancillary concern.

If their printed media is their main cash cow, what happens when a physical newspaper is discontinued and a cyber rendition is the only one available?

Will they have advertisers, or will you have to open a PayPal account? Will you be able to download a copy of the crossword puzzle to a hard copy? Will anyone care?

I'm sure it will be worked out, that is, until someone figures out how to hack a headline.

 

[horizonchaser]

One thing that is hurting these newspapers even further is the price of a yearly subscription. As noted by others, the papers have become anemic in their content yet they want to charge me close to $300.00 for a 7 day yearly subscription! Sometimes when I go out to the tube to get my morning paper I think that it hasn't arrived yet because I don't see it in the tube, but as I continue to walk towards the tube I realize that it is in there lying on its side but it's so thin I didn't notice it at first!! I get to thinking, is this what they want three hundred bucks a year for?
Reading the paper online just isn't the same to me as carrying the newspaper to work in your lunch bag or back pocket. I don't have to worry about wearing down the battery like I do on the IPhone!