Newspaper publishers are full of theories as to why sales are flat (in the case of some) or falling (others). Most theories, among those who accept that there is a fall, would blame disruption brought about by broadband, easier mobile access and online classifieds. Few would consider that sales are down because of the quality of the product. Newspaper publishers ought to visit newsagencies and talk with customers like ‘Joan’ a fifty something lady I talked with today. She has just stopped buying The Age after decades of loyalty. “It’s not a newspaper any more” she said to me. “All these competitions and giveaways, I have no interest”, she was on a roll. “I want news”, she said, as a demand “and when they start giving me news, real news, maybe I’ll come back.”
‘Joan’ now gets her news online but online services did not lure her from The Age. That came about because of the handling of several stories in The Age compared to what she was able to read online. In her view, The Age was not balanced in one story and its reports lacked reasonable depth in another and in the case of a third it’s story pandered to government rather than reporting facts which were negative.
While ‘Joan’ is one person, others would agree. She has not been pulled away from her favorite newspaper but, rather, pushed away. And she was sad about that. I reckon there are plenty of Joans who would be back in an instant if newspapers focused on content – hard hitting news which pursues the truth; analysis which is respected; and, less filler.
One only has to watch how much of a Saturday newspaper is thrown in the bin outside the shop to see first hand why people buy newspapers.