The Newspaper Association of America reports in their May 11 press release that 1 in 3 internet users in March 2005 visited a newspaper website – up 3.1%. From the NAA press release:
Across the board, online newspaper usage is trending up. Unique audience grew by nearly 9 percent from February 2005 to March 2005, page view consumption grew by 38 percent, pages per person by 27 percent, visits per person went up 5 percent, and time per person increased 6 percent.
Businesses in the news and information supply chain, such as Australian newsagents, need to develop their own strategies for the future in the context of this growth in online news consumption. Newspaper publishers are too busy pursuing their future (and rightly so) to worry about the existing supply chain. The key to our (newsagents) future is consumer relevance.
Newsagents are like the country town which was visited regularly by travelers for decades and around which string businesses were built until one day a bypass was built so those travelers did not have to pass through the town. Slowly the town contracts, businesses close, people move away. The town fades from its glory days to be but a name on a sign you read as you speed past.
Customer traffic is oxygen in any business. More than 75% of sales in newsagencies include the sale of news and information (newspaper and magazine) product. An analysis of shopping basket data shows that the majority of such sales are destination sales.
Publishers owe newsagent nothing in terms of ensuring our future. However, newsagents could benefit from access to their vision of the future so that we can develop our own.