Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

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luckybamboo
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Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by luckybamboo »

Hello,
I grew up reading newspaper with my morning coffee back in the days when TV or Internet news very non-existent.
For the past 10 years I haven't subscribed to any paper newspaper and read my news exclusively on iPhone or watch TV. Recently, I picked up a Sunday newspaper from Walgreens and really enjoyed reading news on paper. But I still do not want to subscribe to paper delivery. A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
Anybody experience this? My question is - is there any future in newspaper business?
Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism?
Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
Nicolas
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Nicolas »

luckybamboo wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:23 pm Hello,
I grew up reading newspaper with my morning coffee back in the days when TV or Internet news very non-existent.
For the past 10 years I haven't subscribed to any paper newspaper and read my news exclusively on iPhone or watch TV. Recently, I picked up a Sunday newspaper from Walgreens and really enjoyed reading news on paper. But I still do not want to subscribe to paper delivery. A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
Anybody experience this? My question is - is there any future in newspaper business?
Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism?
Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
I think paper newspapers will go away eventually, though I myself still like them. I've been reading them all my adult life and part of my childhood, until recently. But I don't read them anymore as I find the digital versions more convenient. I subscribe to three digital newspapers (which are also still available in paper form, but for how long?) which I read daily.

What do you think this means for future researchers who can no longer go through the back-issues of newspapers and magazines?
Always passive
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Always passive »

Only, and read them in my iPad no matter where I am in the world. Could anything be simpler?
Topic Author
luckybamboo
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by luckybamboo »

Nicolas wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:47 pm
What do you think this means for future researchers who can no longer go through the back-issues of newspapers and magazines?
That's a great point. I feel uncomfortable about the loss of integrity in the journalism. Anybody can set up a website or a blog and start creating 'news'. I find it so hard to teach my kids the difference between 'opinions' and 'news'
mouses
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by mouses »

Nicolas wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:47 pm What do you think this means for future researchers who can no longer go through the back-issues of newspapers and magazines?
The major newspapers seem to archive.

I would like to get a paper newspaper, but I am too old to fish it out of hedges or call in repeatedly when they have hired irresponsible carriers.

I prefer the form of a paper newspaper, but the digital ones don't replicate that.

I used to pay for a digital subscription to the New York Times, until they threw their journalistic integrity into the toilet during the Democratic Presidential primaries/caucuses. Now I read bbc.com with ad blocking turned off.
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randomizer
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by randomizer »

Used to subscribe to NYT but then the content got too depressing so I cancelled. Now I stick to stuff that I can read freely.
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obgraham
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by obgraham »

We have a local small town rag, and switched to the digital version 3 years ago. Much prefer it. It actually does show everything exactly as in the printed version, even the ads and the classified. And I can blow it up on the iPad to the size my aging eyes demand now.

If WSJ wasn't so pricy I'd get that one too.
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HomerJ
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by HomerJ »

I hate the printed newspapers.

So big, and annoying to read half a story then have to turn to page 5A to finish it.

I have no idea why anyone EVER thought that was a good idea. They are not easy to read.

Newsmagazines, on the other hand, I love. Easy to read in one hand, and a 4-page story is actually written on 4 consecutive pages. And then the next story is written on the next 3 consecutive pages. And so on! Genius!

I did recently buy a subscription to the Washington Post, and I have started reading it on-line. I feel it's important to support newspapers and newsmagazines financially.
hmw
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by hmw »

I have had a digital subscription to NYT for about 10 years. I had paper subscription when I was in college. I would never go back to the paper version.
azurekep
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by azurekep »

mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:23 am I used to pay for a digital subscription to the New York Times, until they threw their journalistic integrity into the toilet during the Democratic Presidential primaries/caucuses. Now I read bbc.com with ad blocking turned off.
I'm currently reading a book about the election and there was a part about the NYT's loss of journalistic integrity during the campaign and how the Times eventually owned up to it. That must be what you're talking about (I wasn't reading the Times back then.) I was surprised because I'm currently enjoying the rivalry betwen the New York Times and Washington Post in breaking important news stories. Sorry to hear about the inconsistencies.

As long as newspapers are, at least part of the time, only going after ratings and sensationalism, I wouldn't want to pay money for them.

I prefer the ability to pick and choose articles from a wide variety of free online sources.

That said, I do like paper newspapers and I'm sorry about their decline. I might consider subscribing to the local paper, but it's way too expensive and certain features are being eliminated as cost-savings measures.
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kramer
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by kramer »

I read online only and much prefer that medium. Because of the transition to digital, I read more news not less news. I could never go back to reading stale news on inky paper that I only get once a day and only when I am not traveling.

I subscribe to the New York Times, read lots of free stuff, and would consider a WSJ subscription if they ever get their pricing act together.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by mouses »

azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:22 am
mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:23 am I used to pay for a digital subscription to the New York Times, until they threw their journalistic integrity into the toilet during the Democratic Presidential primaries/caucuses. Now I read bbc.com with ad blocking turned off.
I'm currently reading a book about the election and there was a part about the NYT's loss of journalistic integrity during the campaign and how the Times eventually owned up to it. That must be what you're talking about (I wasn't reading the Times back then.)
What book is that? I wasn't aware that they had fessed up. They just did away with their Public Editor position a short time ago so I thought they were still in the swamp.
azurekep
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by azurekep »

mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:11 am
azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:22 am
mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:23 am I used to pay for a digital subscription to the New York Times, until they threw their journalistic integrity into the toilet during the Democratic Presidential primaries/caucuses. Now I read bbc.com with ad blocking turned off.
I'm currently reading a book about the election and there was a part about the NYT's loss of journalistic integrity during the campaign and how the Times eventually owned up to it. That must be what you're talking about (I wasn't reading the Times back then.)
What book is that? I wasn't aware that they had fessed up. They just did away with their Public Editor position a short time ago so I thought they were still in the swamp.
It's HRC's book...which is way too long, so I just went back to refresh my memory, and it wasn't about the same event(s) you mentioned but rather about some other things. It was in fact, Liz Spayd, the Public Editor who criticized the Times for their reporting in downplaying Russian meddling in the election.
Cheyenne
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Cheyenne »

I feel it's important to support newspapers and newsmagazines financially.
Especially local newspapers because they are the only people who investigate local and state corruption.
...would consider a WSJ subscription if they ever get their pricing act together.
You can read the PDF version of the Wall Street Journal free by changing the page number (A0001) and date (20170923) in the URL here: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/ ... 170923.pdf
DarthSage
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by DarthSage »

I subscribe to the WSJ online. I've been reading it for decades, can't live without it. It's one of my very few splurges.
I have to say, I prefer the paper version, but I'm too cheap, and have typically lived where morning delivery wasn't an option (it came in the mail--fat lot of good that does!) When I travel, I treat myself to the paper version so I can do their daily crossword.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by mouses »

azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:59 am
mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:11 am
azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:22 am
mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:23 am I used to pay for a digital subscription to the New York Times, until they threw their journalistic integrity into the toilet during the Democratic Presidential primaries/caucuses. Now I read bbc.com with ad blocking turned off.
I'm currently reading a book about the election and there was a part about the NYT's loss of journalistic integrity during the campaign and how the Times eventually owned up to it. That must be what you're talking about (I wasn't reading the Times back then.)
What book is that? I wasn't aware that they had fessed up. They just did away with their Public Editor position a short time ago so I thought they were still in the swamp.
It's HRC's book...which is way too long, so I just went back to refresh my memory, and it wasn't about the same event(s) you mentioned but rather about some other things. It was in fact, Liz Spayd, the Public Editor who criticized the Times for their reporting in downplaying Russian meddling in the election.
It was her predecessor, Margaret Sullivan, who tried to rein in the Times pro-Clinton anti-Sanders distortions (Perfectly Reasonable Question: Must ‘Best Comments’ Be True?, Were Changes to Sanders Article ‘Stealth Editing’?) Finally she resigned.

It's pretty sad when there is no trustworthy U.S. "newspaper of record."
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Kenkat »

I have Sunday delivery of the paper version of my local city newspaper as well as a subscription to their digital content which I use frequently during the week.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Toons »

Yes
Washington Post
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

Our subscription to our remaining local paper also gives us digital subscription to local paper and digital subscription to Washington Post.

Truth be told, if wife wouldn't raise a stink I would cancel as the news isn't "new" by the time I receive the printed copy. But not enough dollars to save ($65/yr for 7 day delivery) for me to push the issue.

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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

I subscribe to USA Today which is free online. I follow all other “papers” on Twitter. They will link to the important stories so you never have to pay for a monthly subscription. I follow about 4 of them and get all the news I want for $0.
I agree the level of journalism has gone way down. I think most of the articles are written by an intern. It’s a tough model when you need income to make it work, yet you more or less give it away for free.
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dm200
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by dm200 »

luckybamboo wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:23 pm Hello,
I grew up reading newspaper with my morning coffee back in the days when TV or Internet news very non-existent.
For the past 10 years I haven't subscribed to any paper newspaper and read my news exclusively on iPhone or watch TV. Recently, I picked up a Sunday newspaper from Walgreens and really enjoyed reading news on paper. But I still do not want to subscribe to paper delivery. A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
Anybody experience this? My question is - is there any future in newspaper business?
Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism?
Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
We still get the daily Washington Post delivered, but with that we get access to the online version. DW reads the "paper" version and I usually read online.
dbr
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by dbr »

I like a newspaper on paper. We subscribed to the NYT until we noticed how much recycle we were generating and couldn't justify it. We subscribe to the local paper. It is a lousy paper of almost no content. Recently the standard for delivery is "tossed anywhere it lands inside your property line" rather than "delivered to your doorstep." I want to cancel but my wife still wants it. I read a local paper, the Washington Post, and the NYT online. I think the WaPo is bundled with the local subscription. On MT the local delivery is supplying the WSJ free. I like the WSJ, but if subscibed it would be like the NYT and be too much more recycle. I agree that it happens that digging out a past issue from the stack is handy.
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Munir
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Munir »

I read the digital versions of the NY Times, Washington Post, and (gulp) for news only, the WSJ. I get the print edition of the local paper to read local news and catch up with the obituary notices (important at my age :happy ).
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Nicolas »

Cheyenne wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 6:25 am
I feel it's important to support newspapers and newsmagazines financially.
Especially local newspapers because they are the only people who investigate local and state corruption.
...would consider a WSJ subscription if they ever get their pricing act together.
You can read the PDF version of the Wall Street Journal free by changing the page number (A0001) and date (20170923) in the URL here: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/ ... 170923.pdf
Thanks, it works. Kind of a hassle with an iPad, but hey, it's free.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by tc101 »

A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
I like stale news. I subscribe to weekly paper magazines like The Economist and Time. I don't want to get sucked into the moment to moment news frenzy of stories that are designed to get me to click a link and often contain no useful content. If it is important enough to go into a news weekly, then I want to read about it in more depth.
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Mike Scott
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Mike Scott »

I check the online public spaces of about 8 "news" outlets most days. I read the local daily cover to cover. I much prefer paper to digital.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Rob5TCP »

I subscribe digitally to the WSJ. A website mentioned here offered a 3 year subscription for $150 (it's now closer to $200).
I also intend to subscribe to the NYT digitally.
A friend of mine got me a 1 year free subscription to the Washington Post.
The last physical newspaper I read was at an airport many years ago.

Here is the site:

https://dailysubscription.com/t/wsjsubscription
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by mouses »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am I like a newspaper on paper. We subscribed to the NYT until we noticed how much recycle we were generating and couldn't justify it.
In my area, the local animal shelter asks people to save and donate their newspapers. I think they use them as padding with towels on top of them in the cages.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by dbr »

mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:35 am
dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am I like a newspaper on paper. We subscribed to the NYT until we noticed how much recycle we were generating and couldn't justify it.
In my area, the local animal shelter asks people to save and donate their newspapers. I think they use them as padding with towels on top of them in the cages.
It comes down to the fact that not generating waste in the first place is preferable to finding one or two or three additional uses before that material ends up as garbage. In this case either the original use of the newpaper is "free" or the bedding for the animals is "free" but the combination of the two is still a progression from growing and processing trees to finding a place to return all of it to the earth, having spent energy in the process. It does depend on analyzing the system.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by VictoriaF »

I get my news from the NPR. When I am interested in specific events, I search for them on-line. Occasionally, I review GoogleNews.

A few years ago, I was subscribing to The Economist using my airline miles, but they stopped offering it in Mags-of-Miles. I can, of course, subscribe with cash, but then I would feel obligated to read most of it. The problem with The Economist is that it's difficult to put down and is time-consuming.

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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by likegarden »

No, we do not subscribe to digital newspapers. We are retired and have one paper newspaper delivered to our home. I like to sit down with a paper and a coffee, or drive to a lake reading it there with a coffee. My wife buys additional 5 other paper newspapers. We also read CNN and NBC news on the PC, and watch CNN and MSNBC on the TV. Paper newspapers have more interesting articles and local news and do not dwell on one subject with several talking heads as CNN and MSNBC do on TV.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by azurekep »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am Recently the standard for delivery is "tossed anywhere it lands inside your property line" rather than "delivered to your doorstep."
At least it got delivered. :D

Your comments remind me of some delivery woes of the past. New York Times, I'm talking to you. Their non-deliveries were more frequent than their deliveries, so I eventually had to cancel. I missed Sunday mornings with coffee and the paper, which isn't the same as coffee and an electronic device, but life moves on.

I do have a relative that gets the local paper and she wanted it delivered to her doorstep. We worked out an arrangement with her delivery guy to do just that, and he gets a hefty monetary gift during the holdiay season. It's worked out flawlessly.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by dbr »

azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:35 pm
dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am Recently the standard for delivery is "tossed anywhere it lands inside your property line" rather than "delivered to your doorstep."
At least it got delivered. :D

Your comments remind me of some delivery woes of the past. New York Times, I'm talking to you. Their non-deliveries were more frequent than their deliveries, so I eventually had to cancel. I missed Sunday mornings with coffee and the paper, which isn't the same as coffee and an electronic device, but life moves on.

I do have a relative that gets the local paper and she wanted it delivered to her doorstep. We worked out an arrangement with her delivery guy to do just that, and he gets a hefty monetary gift during the holdiay season. It's worked out flawlessly.
I was tipping the carrier as part of the monthly bill. I deleted the tip when customer service informed me that the old standard had been changed "long ago."
azurekep
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by azurekep »

mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:35 am
dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am I like a newspaper on paper. We subscribed to the NYT until we noticed how much recycle we were generating and couldn't justify it.
In my area, the local animal shelter asks people to save and donate their newspapers. I think they use them as padding with towels on top of them in the cages.
Newspaper is also the best for cleaning windows...no streaks. If you have large picture windows, it's good to have some newspapers on hand.

Newspapers are also good for cleaning car windows. Great during the sun-glare season when even the lightest streaking can interfere with driving.

Newspaper is additionally great if you move a lot. No need to buy "newsprint". ;)
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by JBTX »

randomizer wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:28 am Used to subscribe to NYT but then the content got too depressing so I cancelled. Now I stick to stuff that I can read freely.
That paywall is easy to bypass. Just read NYT whatever stealth/non cookie mode your browser has. Or just clear your history which is what I do on safari.

Overall I don't pay for any websites. I might be willing to pay for WSJ for a nominal fee but nowhere near what it costs.
Last edited by JBTX on Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
azurekep
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by azurekep »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:40 pm
I was tipping the carrier as part of the monthly bill. I deleted the tip when customer service informed me that the old standard had been changed "long ago."
The payment system was another thing we had to change. It's annoying to have to pay the delivery guy monthly in person. Far better to pay a year's worth subscription by credit card, then give the guy a nice tip at the end.

But if you're saying that a tip is built into the subscription, regardless of monthly or annual, that is interesting.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by dbr »

azurekep wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:48 pm
dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:40 pm
I was tipping the carrier as part of the monthly bill. I deleted the tip when customer service informed me that the old standard had been changed "long ago."
The payment system was another thing we had to change. It's annoying to have to pay the delivery guy monthly in person. Far better to pay a year's worth subscription by credit card, then give the guy a nice tip at the end.

But if you're saying that a tip is built into the subscription, regardless of monthly or annual, that is interesting.
Yes, it is built in. I trust them that the carrier gets the tip. In the old days around Christmas time they put a card in the paper with name and address and we liked to mail them a check. I still think the personal contact is nice. When I complained about the not-to-the-doorstep delivery I was at pains to not get the carrier blamed for a complaint if they are meeting the standard of the job, but a tip goes too far.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by flamesabers »

luckybamboo wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:23 pmMy question is - is there any future in newspaper business? Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism? Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
I'm doubtful there is growth potential for the newspaper business, but I don't think they're going to disappear completely anytime soon.

Speaking as a millennial, the reason why I don't buy/subscribe to a paper newspaper is I don't think it's the most convenient way for me to get access to the news. In a way, it's no different as to why I pay my bills online with a credit card versus mailing paper checks to my utility company and such every month. I also find I know a lot more about news events then my older relatives who read a paper newspaper because digital news isn't limited to newspapers' space constraints.

To me, asking if there is any hope for saving paper journalism is like asking if there is any hope for pay phones, typewriters, paper checks or coin-operated arcades. I think these businesses will continue to exist until there is zero or close to zero demand for them.

I don't pay for any digital newspapers in part because I don't get my news primarily from a single newspaper. Also, it's not as if all news articles on the Internet are behind a paywall. Why would I want to pay for access to the news when there is already plenty of news available online for free?

If I was going to subscribe to a newspaper, it would be the Army Times since I'm in the army reserves and much of the information published is either relevant and/or of interest to me. The reasons why I would subscribe to such a paper newspaper is:

1. It's published bimonthly instead of daily. This means I can take my time reading each print before the next one is available. This also makes the subscription far more affordable. A yearly print subscription is $55 versus $320 for the Wall Street Journal.

2. It caters to a niche market. The majority of prints I believe are sold in AAFES Exchange Stores. I think the 2013 subscription figures for the Army Times is around 90,000 while the figures for the Wall Street Journal is about 2,300,000.

3. It isn't loaded up with advertisements so I won't have nearly as much to dispose of when I'm done reading it.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by jebmke »

We have 5-6 digital subscriptions.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by mouses »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:59 am
mouses wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:35 am
dbr wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 am I like a newspaper on paper. We subscribed to the NYT until we noticed how much recycle we were generating and couldn't justify it.
In my area, the local animal shelter asks people to save and donate their newspapers. I think they use them as padding with towels on top of them in the cages.
It comes down to the fact that not generating waste in the first place is preferable to finding one or two or three additional uses before that material ends up as garbage. In this case either the original use of the newpaper is "free" or the bedding for the animals is "free" but the combination of the two is still a progression from growing and processing trees to finding a place to return all of it to the earth, having spent energy in the process. It does depend on analyzing the system.
What you're leaving out is without the newspaper, the animals are less comfortable. Sure, the shelters could buy quilting or something, but then every week or so someone has to wash and dry something like 80 of those for the shelter in my area. Time, expense they cannot afford.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Mudpuppy »

The newspaper in my area has a digital subscription option that comes with actual paper newspapers on the weekends. It seems like a nice compromise for the moment, although maybe only extreme couponers really care about getting a physical Sunday paper.
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Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Fallible »

Nicolas wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:47 pm
luckybamboo wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:23 pm Hello,
I grew up reading newspaper with my morning coffee back in the days when TV or Internet news very non-existent.
For the past 10 years I haven't subscribed to any paper newspaper and read my news exclusively on iPhone or watch TV. Recently, I picked up a Sunday newspaper from Walgreens and really enjoyed reading news on paper. But I still do not want to subscribe to paper delivery. A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
Anybody experience this? My question is - is there any future in newspaper business?
Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism?
Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
I think paper newspapers will go away eventually, though I myself still like them. I've been reading them all my adult life and part of my childhood, until recently. But I don't read them anymore as I find the digital versions more convenient. I subscribe to three digital newspapers (which are also still available in paper form, but for how long?) which I read daily.

What do you think this means for future researchers who can no longer go through the back-issues of newspapers and magazines?
Much has been written about the future of print newspapers and the possibilities seem endless. Having been in journalism and with some friends also retired or still in the business, we often discuss the latest articles such as this good one from Columbia Journalism Review headlined "Print is Dead. Long Live Print."

https://www.cjr.org/special_report/prin ... meback.php
"Yes, investing is simple. But it is not easy, for it requires discipline, patience, steadfastness, and that most uncommon of all gifts, common sense." ~Jack Bogle
Maya1234
Posts: 103
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:10 pm

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Maya1234 »

I have digital subscriptions to the NYTimes, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and LA Times. I read them almost exclusively on my iPad which is nothing like reading on either a computer or phone. I hold the iPad much like a paper and while the pages are somewhat smaller than a real paper it's much more similar than the other choices. I do a lot of browsing for articles the way you would do with a paper. Other stories are displayed in capsule form above and/or below the story I am reading. Could never go back to paper
Nicolas
Posts: 4886
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:41 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by Nicolas »

Fallible wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:17 pm
Nicolas wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:47 pm
luckybamboo wrote: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:23 pm Hello,
I grew up reading newspaper with my morning coffee back in the days when TV or Internet news very non-existent.
For the past 10 years I haven't subscribed to any paper newspaper and read my news exclusively on iPhone or watch TV. Recently, I picked up a Sunday newspaper from Walgreens and really enjoyed reading news on paper. But I still do not want to subscribe to paper delivery. A lot of news are stale by the time paper is at the door.
Anybody experience this? My question is - is there any future in newspaper business?
Will the millennials and Gen-z ever find paper copy of newspaper interesting ? Is there any hope for saving the paper journalism?
Do you pay for any digital newspapers? Do you really like the digital version ?
I think paper newspapers will go away eventually, though I myself still like them. I've been reading them all my adult life and part of my childhood, until recently. But I don't read them anymore as I find the digital versions more convenient. I subscribe to three digital newspapers (which are also still available in paper form, but for how long?) which I read daily.

What do you think this means for future researchers who can no longer go through the back-issues of newspapers and magazines?
Much has been written about the future of print newspapers and the possibilities seem endless. Having been in journalism and with some friends also retired or still in the business, we often discuss the latest articles such as this good one from Columbia Journalism Review headlined "Print is Dead. Long Live Print."

https://www.cjr.org/special_report/prin ... meback.php
Good article, thanks. I agree with the author: I'm more distracted reading things online than in print, probably I absorb less too. I find that I have so much more to read now that I'm sometimes at a loss as to what I really want to read. Also when the reading gets just a little bit tough or slightly boring I tend to give up on what I'm reading too easily and jump to the next thing, and this repeats.

I've also found that I don't like reading Kindle books. I can't tell where I am in the Kindle book so easily and the plastic and glass just feel alien. I like to look at the book and see what my progress is. Maybe page ahead and see where the chapter ends so I know when to go to bed. The paper just feels better too.

Also footnotes are a problem. I found this out when reading the first volume of Mark Twain's autobiography on my Kindle. This book is about 2/3 autobiography and about 1/3 footnotes which are all in the back of the book, not on the page. No way was I going to skip ahead each time and read the footnotes -- so I just gave up on them.

There are, of course, many useful things with the new technology: Being able to look up words in an online dictionary with just a click. I look up unfamiliar words now as I go along instead of just glossing over them. In my daily online newspapers I can click on the embedded links, no such thing in the print version.

Also I get the paper every day without fail, even during blizzards or if I'm on the other side of the planet. Storage is a wonder, being able to carry a thousand books under your arm, and most or all of them free if out of copyright. (I read a lot of 19th century literature). Probably many other advantages I can't think of right now.

Lastly, my almost pristine set of The World Book Encyclopedia is now less than useless, I can't give them away. They're going to have to go into the recycling bin some day, if I can bear to do it.
BC_Doc
Posts: 196
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:11 pm
Location: Western Canada

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by BC_Doc »

I subscribe to the NYT online for $4.00 per month for an academic subscription (faculty rate).

I recently let a digital subscription to the Globe and Mail lapse after subscribing for almost 10 years. The monthly rate was hiked from $13/month to $24/month a year or two ago. I kept the subscription because of some business extras (reporting) and because it include a portfolio tracker that captured the last 10 years of my investment purchase and sales. The tipping point for me was a poor customer service interaction. I was locked out from the Globe and Mail for about a week due to an issue on their end. The customer service agent fixed the problem but then was unwilling to offer me a credit for the period of time I was locked out. I cancelled. High cost had me thinking about cancelling. Bad customer service ended up being the catalyst. Surprisingly, no one ever tried to contact me to ask why I cancelled after 10 years.
TheGreyingDuke
Posts: 2217
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:34 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by TheGreyingDuke »

BC_Doc wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:24 am I subscribe to the NYT online for $4.00 per month for an academic subscription (faculty rate).
How come I am paying $10 a month for the faculty rate??
"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." H.G. Wells
bluebolt
Posts: 2136
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:01 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by bluebolt »

Yes.

New York Times
Washington Post
Boston Globe

I used to subscribe to The Economist, but didn't read it enough to justify it. Now I get access to digital copies via my library when I want to read it.
jlcnuke
Posts: 434
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 10:26 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by jlcnuke »

I refuse to pay money to read news. There are more free news sources than I could possibly read, so paying to read the news seems like it would be a waste of money to me.
pangea33
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:57 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by pangea33 »

Forgive me if this has already been posted, but i didn't see it upthread. A digital subscription to the Washington Post is free for six months to Amazon Prime members.

You just have to search for it through Amazon, because they don't really draw attention to it. In this day of hyperpartisan opinion pieces, it is hard to find real journalism. I think WaPo does a really good job even though the comment section is just as bad as any terrible social media site.

If you can ignore the noise its a good way to get a headstart on all the talking points that you'll be forced to wade through in daily conversations.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c ... RMQY1U2T38
KarenC
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:25 am

Re: Do you subscribe to digital newspapers?

Post by KarenC »

As someone who favors ebooks, I like the idea of digital newspapers (and magazines). There is one advantage of printed newspapers, however, that I didn’t appreciate until the digital versions appeared: no animated embedded ads.

I’m not talking about ad pages that one can swipe past to get to more content, but rather those ads that are displayed right alongside the content. If the ad is static, I can ignore it. If the ad is animated, however, it just drives me crazy.

I cope by, for the most part, getting my news via Reddit, Twitter, and RSS. The news content from those sources is in the form of HTML documents, so I’m able to employ Safari's Reader mode (which gives me just the words and, usually, only the images that are associated with the content). (Chrome, naturally, has plugins available to do the equivalent.)
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool." — Richard P. Feynman
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