by J.L. Eck

Created on: August 07, 2010

The future of newspapers in the United States has been in doubt for quite some time.  Since radio and television, there have been those that agreed the newspaper would die out.  Newspapers have had an especially difficult time maintaining circulation and profitability since the Internet was born.

Many newspapers have folded up over the years, including some of those with very large audiences.  There are still more to go, but not all of them will go.  There are some newspapers that have become such a large part of the media that, barring very poor future decision making, it is very unlikely they will close up shop. 

Newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and USA Today have circulations of millions!  These two papers have gained the trust of many readers, making their content more valuable than that of the average periodical.  Advertisers pay the larger, more respected papers more for advertising space, which is what keeps these papers in the position to pay for the freshest content about the hottest topics.

The price of subscription to a given newspaper is a deterrent for those who like to get their information free from television or the Internet.  Subscription fees will also help to maintain a newspaper which has the respect of the public, namely those with extra cash.  Subscription fees can be considered as a means to gain exclusivity.  Some news sources could soon charge gratuitous rates for membership in order to give their members a feel of importance, otherwise known as “being part of the club.”

There is also something tangible about sitting down with a paper to have coffee and toast.  For many, the computer screen is just not the same as picking up the morning news from the front stoop.  Something doesn’t translate.  The smell of the freshly printed periodical accompanied by a noseful of fresh coffee and a mouthful of buttered toast is something of a tradition among many families, which gives the paper ties to history and generations to come. 

Newspapers have also adapted to using the Internet as a means of spreading the word.  Companies like Gannett have online versions of their papers which may or may not require a subscription fee and make revenue from advertising space available within the sites.  It seems newspapers are adapting as the world changes and the industry intends upon sticking around.

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