The U.S. Newspaper Industry in Transition
Suzanne M. Kirchhoff
Analyst in Industrial Organization and Business
September 9, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R40700
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress
The U.S. Newspaper Industry in Transition
Summary
The U.S. newspaper industry is suffering through what could be its worst financial crisis since the
Great Depression. Advertising revenues have plummeted due in part to the severe economic
downturn, while readership habits have changed as consumers turn to the Internet for free news
and information. Some major newspaper chains are burdened by heavy debt loads. Between 2008
and early 2010, eight major newspaper chains declared bankruptcy, several big city papers shut
down, and many laid off reporters and editors, imposed pay reductions, cut the size of the
physical newspaper, or turned to Web-only publication.
Newspaper publishers in 2010 have seen some improvement in financial conditions, with many
reporting higher profits, but the industry has not yet turned the corner. Advertising dollars are still
declining and newspapers have not found a stable revenue source to replace them. As the
problems continue, there are growing concerns that the decline of the newspaper industry will
impact civic and social life. Already there are fewer newspaper reporters covering state capitols
and city halls, while the number of states with newspapers covering Congress full-time dwindled
to 23 in 2008 from the most recent peak of 35 in 1985.
As old-style, print newspapers decline, new journalism startups are developing around the
country, aided by low entry costs on the Internet. The emerging ventures hold promise but do not
yet have the experience, resources, and reach of shrinking mainstream newspapers.
Congress has begun debating whether the financial problems in the newspaper industry pose a
public policy issue that warrants federal action. Whether a congressional response to the current
turmoil is justified may depend on the current causes of the crisis. If the causes are related to
significant technological shifts (the Internet, smart phones and electronic readers) or societal
changes that are disruptive to established business models and means of news dissemination, the
policy options may be quite limited, especially if new models of reporting (and, equally
important, advertising) are beginning to emerge. Governmental policy actions to bolster existing
businesses could stall or retard such a shift. In this case, policymakers might stand back and allow
the market to realign news gathering and delivery, as it has many times in the past. If, on the other
hand, the current crisis is related to the struggle of some major newspapers to survive the current
recession, possible policy options to ensure the continuing availability of in-depth local and
national news coverage by newspapers might include providing tax breaks, relaxing antitrust
policy, tightening copyright law, providing general support for the practice of journalism by
increasing funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) or similar public programs,
or helping newspapers reorganize as nonprofit organizations. Policymakers may also determine
that some set of measures could ease the combination of social and technological transition and
the recession-related financial distress of the industry.
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The U.S. Newspaper Industry in Transition
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
Industry History .......................................................................................................................... 2
Industry Conditions..................................................................................................................... 4
Industry Cost Cutting: Key to Survival? ................................................................................ 5
Declining Advertising Revenues, Recession, and the Internet ................................................ 5
Other Factors ........................................................................................................................ 7
Alternative News Sources ................................................................................................... 10
Rise of the Web......................................................................................................................... 12
Interdependence ........................................................................................................................ 14
Searching for New Business Models ................................................................................... 17
Nonprofits..................................................................................................................... 19
Public Policy Issues .................................................................................................................. 21
Congressional Action ................................................................................................................ 21
Industry Proposals............................................................................................................... 22
Supporting the General Practice of Journalism .................................................................... 23
Figures
Figure 1. Percent Change in 2009 Media Ad Revenues, by Publication........................................ 6
Figure 2. Newspaper Advertising Revenues............................................................................... 15
Tables
Table 1. Daily Print Newspaper Readership................................................................................. 3
Table 2. Top 20 U.S. Daily Newspapers by Circulation.............................................................. 11
Table 3. Newspaper Website Readership.................................................................................... 13
Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 25
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Introduction
The U.S. newspaper industry is in the midst of a historic restructuring, buffeted by a deep
recession that has battered crucial advertising revenues, long-term structural challenges as readers
turn to free news and entertainment on the Internet, and heavy debt burdens weighing down some
major media companies. Eight major U.S. newspaper companies filed for bankruptcy between
2008 and early 2010 (though nearly all have since emerged as reorganized companies), while
hundreds of smaller papers went out of business or moved to Web-only publications. Concerned
about the potential loss of independent news outlets, lawmakers have debated legislation to assist
the industry. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a series of three workshops
beginning in December 2009 to look at challenges facing newspapers, television, and radio in the
Internet age.1
Publishers are experimenting with new business approaches, but there is no widely agreed-upon
model to restore the link between newspaper content and earnings, which has been partially
severed on the Internet. Newspapers historically have depended on advertising for about 80% of
revenues. Even after investing major sums in technology, and attracting millions of online
readers, only about 10% of overall newspaper ad dollars was Internet-driven in 2009.2 At the
same time, print readership is falling, further cutting into subscription and advertising revenues
(see Table 1). Vin Crosbie, a noted Syracuse University professor and consultant, has predicted
that more than half of the approximately 1,400 daily newspapers in the country could be out of
business by the end of the next decade.3
Concerns extend beyond the tens of thousands of reporters and editors losing their jobs. A robust,
free press has been viewed by many as an essential check on government and business since the
early days of the Republic. “The only security of all is in a free press,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in
1823.4 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a March letter to the Justice Department, argued that
current problems in the newspaper sector pose a significant challenge to democracy.5
Despite First Amendment sensitivities, Congress has intervened in the past to assist newspapers
and other media, building a broad record of regulation and support. Federal actions include the
1970 Newspaper Preservation Act, providing limited exemption from antitrust law; laws
allocating the public airwaves;6 copyright and fair content regulation;7 postal subsidies;8 and
1 Federal Trade Commission, “From Town Criers to Bloggers: How Will Journalism Survive the Internet Age?”
Workshop Transcript, June 15, 2010, http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/news/jun15/100615transcript.pdf.
2 Newspaper Association of America, “Trends and Numbers, Advertising Expenditures,” http://www.naa.org/
TrendsandNumbers/Advertising-Expenditures.aspx. The percentage of newspaper advertising derived from Web
operations rose to 12% in the second quarter of 2010.
3 Crosbie, Vin, “Transforming American Newspapers,” Corante, August 20, 2008. http://rebuildingmedia.corante.com/
archives/2008/08/20/transforming_american_newspapers_part_1.php.
4 Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 1823. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition (Lipscomb and Bergh,
editors) 20 Vols., Washington, D.C., 1903-04, Vol. 15, p. 491. See University of Virginia Library, Thomas Jefferson
Digital Archive, Freedom of the Press. http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1600.htm#Top.
5 Letter from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, to the Honorable Eric Holder, Attorney General, March 16, 2009.
6 CRS Report R40009, Fairness Doctrine: History and Constitutional Issues, by Kathleen Ann Ruane.
7 CRS Report R40194, The Google Library Project: Is Digitization for Purposes of Online Indexing Fair Use Under
Copyright Law?, by Kate M. Manuel.
8 CRS Report R40162, Postage Subsidies for Periodicals: History and Recent Developments, by Kevin R. Kosar.
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financial aid through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and indirectly through the
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).9 According to one study, the federal, state, and
local governments provided more than $1 billion to the news media in 2009 via tax policy, postal
subsidies, and legal requirements to disseminate public notices in print, though the level of
support has declined in recent years.10 Congress has ratified treaties governing fair use of
intellectual property on the Internet,11 and, in the 111th Congress, the House has considered and
passed the Free Flow of Information Act of 2009 (H.R. 985) to give journalists a right to withhold
information in grand jury proceedings.12 The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Congress is now debating whether current financial problems, which have been most acute at
large, general-interest daily papers, pose a public policy issue that requires federal action. If the
answer is “yes,” options might include aiding existing newspapers as they grapple with the
transition to a digital news world; supporting the practice of journalism writ large; or taking a
hands-off approach to allow what might arguably be a major social, political, and technological
realignment in the way Americans choose to inform themselves about local, state, and national
news. Lawmakers have so far expressed little interest in a broad bailout of the industry, similar to
aid for the automobile or financial sectors. Senator Benjamin Cardin, who has introduced S. 673
to make it easier for newspapers to reorganize as nonprofit organizations, has said he does not
support a financial rescue for newspapers.13 The bill was referred to the Senate Finance
Committee.
There are critics of government action. Ken McIntyre, of the Heritage Foundation, has argued
that nonprofit status could “de-fang” the press, by preventing newspapers from endorsing
candidates or taking positions against whatever political party was in power.14 McIntyre endorses
the concept of a technology shift of Gutenberg proportions, citing media expert Clay Shirky: “...
We’re collectively living through 1500, when it’s easier to see what’s broken than what will
replace it ... Society doesn’t need newspapers. What we need is journalism.”15
Industry History
The newspaper industry has gone through prior periods of boom and bust. The popular press took
off in the 1830s with the creation of the so-called penny press: inexpensive papers that were sold
by street vendors, instead of the previous up-front subscription model.16 The industry grew in
9 CRS Report RS22168, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: Federal Funding and Issues, by Mark Gurevitz and
Glenn J. McLoughlin.
10 Geoffrey Cowan and David Westphal, USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, Public Policy and
Funding the News, January, 2010, p. 2, http://communicationleadership.usc.edu/pubs/Funding%20the%20News.pdf;
David Westphal, “American government: It’s always subsidized commercial media,” OJR: The Online Journalism
Review, November 30, 2009, http://www.ojr.org/ojr/people/davidwestphal/200911/1801/.
11 CRS Report RL34292, Intellectual Property Rights and International Trade, by Shayerah Ilias and Ian F. Fergusson.
12 CRS Report RL34193, Journalists’ Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 110th and 111th
Congresses, by Kathleen Ann Ruane.
13 Cardin, Benjamin, “A Plan to Save Our Free Press,” Washington Post, April 3, 2009, p. A19.
14 McIntyre, Ken, “Death of Newspapers Does Not Mean the End of Journalism,” U.S. News and World Report, May 8,
2009.
15 Ibid.
16 Emery, Edwin and Michael Emery, The Press and America: An Interpretive History of the Mass Media, Fourth
Edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1978. pp, 119-123.
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importance, profitability, and influence, including the rise of sensationalistic “yellow journalism”
in the late 1800s.
During the Great Depression, plunging revenues and competition from the emerging technology
of radio hurt newspapers. Newspaper advertising revenue fell 45% from 1929 to 1933, and was
still down 20% in 1941. Hundreds of newspapers went out of business or suspended operations,
while a third of newspaper salaried workers lost their jobs. Radio increased in importance and
was the only media segment that realized gains in advertising during the Depression.17
With the rise of television, the newspaper business faced another major transformation. In the
1960s, television surpassed newspapers as a source of information, and TV networks became
more adept at capturing national advertising.18 Thereafter, the newspaper sector consolidated as
family-owned papers were bought by growing chains. Between 1960 and 1980, 57 newspaper
owners sold their properties to Gannett Co. By 1977, 170 newspaper groups owned two-thirds of
the country’s 1,700 daily papers. From 1969 to 1973, 10 newspaper companies went public,
including the Washington Post Co., New York Times Co., and Times Mirror Co.19
Table 1. Daily Print Newspaper Readership
Percentage of Total Adults Who Read a Print Newspaper on a Weekday
Year
Percentage of Total Adults
Percentage of Men
Percentage of Women
1998 58.6
62.2
55.2
1999 56.9
60.6
53.4
2000 55.1
58.8
51.7
2001 54.3
57.5
51.3
2002 55.4
58.2
52.8
2003 54.1
56.8
51.5
2004 52.8
55.5
50.2
2005 51.6
54.1
49.2
2006 49.9
52.3
47.6
2007 48.4
51.0
45.9
Source: Scarborough Research, Top 50 Market Report 1998-2007, prepared by Newspaper Association of
America.
As chain ownership grew an increasing number of cities became one-paper towns, leading to
concerns about lack of competition and a diminished watchdog role for the media—similar to
worries voiced today. In 1910, nearly 60% of cities had competing daily papers. By 1930, that
figure had fallen to 21%, and by 1971 to 2%.20
17 Ibid., pp. 399-400, p. 428, p. 436.
18 Matthei, Harry, “Inventing the Commercial: the imperium of modern television advertising was born in desperate
improvisation,” American Heritage, May/June 1997, Volume 48, Issue 3.
19 Neiva, Elizabeth M., “Chain Building: The Consolidation of the American Newspaper Industry, 1955-1980,”
Business and Economic History, Volume 24, No. 1, Fall 1995.
20 Report of the Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Antitrust Division, In the Matter of: Application by the
E.W. Scripps Co. and MediaNews Group Inc. For Approval of a Joint Operating Agreement Pursuant to the Newspaper
(continued...)
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Some local papers around the country tried to combat the economic stresses by pooling
advertising and circulation operations. The U.S. Supreme Court in the 1969 decision United
States v. Citizen Publishing Co. ruled against such arrangements. In response, Congress passed
the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-353; 15 U.S.C. 43).21 The law provided a
limited antitrust exemption for certain newspapers that combined financial functions but
maintained separate newsrooms. While there were 25 to 30 such agreements in force at any one
time in recent decades, just a handful remain today, and they have not been sufficient to save
some weakening newspapers.22 The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Rocky
Mountain News, and Tucson Citizen—papers that were part of joint operating agreements—
recently closed, declared bankruptcy, or moved to Web-only production.
The increasing importance of cable television in the 1980s had a far-reaching impact on
newspapers, as consumers turned to 24-hour cable news stations for information. Still, many
newspapers continued to enjoy extremely profitable, quasi-monopoly status in their communities.
Major newspaper companies posted double-digit returns on equity (profit compared to average
shareholder equity) through most of the current decade. Profits peaked at 22.7% in 2000 and
declined to just over 10% in 2008, as newspaper companies instituted severe budget cuts and
layoffs.23 Cash flow margins for big, public newspaper companies reached their high in the late
1990s at 29%, an average that declined to 13% in 2008 with large differences from paper to
paper.24
Industry Conditions
There are now about 1,400 daily newspapers in the United States and thousands of community
papers, which generally publish weekly or biweekly. A handful of papers, including the Wall
Street Journal, USA TODAY, and the New York Times, have a national print readership topping a
million or more.25 The top 50 papers account for about a third of circulation, among them the big
city papers that have had some of the largest circulation declines.26 Overall, the newspaper
industry, including printers, reporters, advertising salespeople and other personnel, was a roughly
$50 billion business in 2002, according to Census Bureau data, employing about 400,000
people.27
(...continued)
Preservation Act, File No. 44-03-24-15 (September 8, 2000), p. 16-17.
21 Ibid.
22 Jones, Fredrick, “The Newspaper Preservation Act: Is it a Necessary Loophole in Antitrust Laws?,” paper presented
at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism, August 8-11, 1981. Farhi, Paul, “The Death of
the JOA,” American Journalism Review, September 1999.
23 Morton, John, “Not Dead Yet,” American Journalism Review, June/July 2009 issue.
24 Fine, Lauren Rich, “Bad Public Relations or Is This a Real Crisis?: YES,” Duke Conference on Nonprofit Media,
May 4-5, 2009. http://www.pubpol.duke.edu/nonprofitmedia/documents/dwcrichfinefinal.pdf.
25 Audit Bureau of Circulations, “Circulation Averages for the Six Months Ended March 31, 2010,
http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newstitlesearchus.asp.
26 Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2009: An Annual Report
on American Journalism. http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm.
27 U.S. Census Bureau, Industry Statistics Sampler, NAICS 511110, Newspaper Publishers.
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Industry Cost Cutting: Key to Survival?
For the traditional, general-interest print newspapers analyzed in this report, labor has made up
about 50% of costs, with production and distribution accounting for 30% and other expenses for
the rest.28 Newspapers have taken dramatic steps to cut costs as their financial picture has
worsened, including trimming the size of the print newspaper, eliminating staff, or reducing the
number of days the print newspaper is delivered to subscribers.
Daily papers cut their newsrooms by 11%, or 6,000 full-time workers, in 2008, the biggest one-
year drop since 1978. Newspaper publishers reduced newsroom staff by another 5,200 jobs in
2009, for a total reduction in daily newsroom staffing of more than 25% from the recent 2001
peak of 56,400.29 According to Erica Smith, a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, more
than 2,200 workers at U.S. newspapers were laid off or took buyouts in the first eight months of
2010.30 The number of reporters covering state legislatures in 2009 was down more than 30%
from 2003.31
The Regional Reporters Association, an organization of newspaper journalists assigned to cover
Washington, DC, has seen its membership decline from more than 200 a decade ago to about 55
today.32 For example, roughly 10 years ago, 15 regional reporters covered Congress and other
federal agencies for Connecticut-based newspapers. In 2009 there were none, according to the
U.S. Senate Daily Press Gallery. (The Gallery in 2010 approved press credentials for a reporter
for a startup online news organization, the Connecticut Mirror.) The Dallas Morning News
Bureau has shrunk from 11 reporters in Washington, DC, to three, according to the American
Journalism Review,33 which in a recent study of the Washington press corps also noted that the
Newhouse, Cox, and Media General newspaper chains closed their capital bureaus in recent
years.34
Declining Advertising Revenues, Recession, and the Internet
Retail, classified, and national ads have traditionally accounted for 80% of newspaper revenues,
with subscriptions and newsstand sales making up most of the rest. Sunday newspapers, with
28 Fine, Lauren Rich, “Bad Public Relations or Is This a Real Crisis?: YES,” Duke Conference on Nonprofit Media,
May 4-5, 2009.
29 “Decline in newsroom jobs slows,” American Society of News Editors, April 11, 2010. http://asne.org/article_view/
articleid/763/decline-in-newsroom-jobs-slows.aspx.
30 Johnston, David Cay, “Welcome to the Jungle: Journalists, meet the all-or-nothing job market,” Columbia
Journalism Review, May 22, 2009; Smith, Erica, “Layoffs and buyouts at U.S. newspapers in 2009,” Paper Cuts.
http://graphicdesignr.net/papercuts.
31 Dorroh, Jennifer, “Statehouse Exodus,” American Journalism Review, April/May 2009. http://www.ajr.org/
Article.asp?id=4721.
32 Interview with Thomas Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune, president of the Regional Reporters Association, June 3, 2010.
Journalists pay a $20 fee to join the RRA. All reporters who cover Washington for out-of-town publications may not
necessarily be members of the group. For example, Associated Press reporters who cover state congressional
delegations, in addition to other subjects, may not choose to join.
33 Jodi Enda, “Capital Flight,” American Journalism Review, June/July 2010, http://ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4877.
34 Ibid.
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their bulky ad inserts and extra sections, along with papers published later in the week, have
brought in more than half of newspaper print dollars at some publications.35
The traditional advertising model for years generated healthy profits, subsidized expensive
foreign, investigative, and other reporting and helped keep subscription and newsstand prices low.
But the model is breaking down. Newspapers have seen a dramatic drop in advertising during the
recession. While other media have also been hurt, newspapers have had some of the sharpest
declines (see Figure 1). Total advertising revenue at daily newspapers plunged from $49.4 billion
in 2005 to $27.6 billion in 2009—a 44% decrease.36
The Pew Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism in 2009 estimated that about half of the
recent drop in advertising was due to the poor economy, as auto dealers went out of business and
other retailers cut back. But it is not clear that most of those ad dollars will come back as business
activity revives.37
Figure 1. Percent Change in 2009 Media Ad Revenues, by Publication
January-September 2009, compared to January-September 2008
10
5
0
Television
Magazine
Newspaper
Internet
Radio
Outdoor
ange
-5
h
C
-10
rcent
e
P -15
-20
-25
Source: TNS Media Intelligence.
Notes: Overal U.S. media ad spending declined by 14.7% in the first nine months of 2009. More recent TNS
data indicate that media spending increased in the first quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009.
35 Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2009: An Annual Report
on American Journalism, http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm.
36 Newspaper Association of America, “Trends and Numbers, Advertising Expenditures,” http://www.naa.org/
TrendsandNumbers/Advertising-Expenditures.aspx.
37 Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2009: An Annual Report
on American Journalism.
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Newspapers are also in the throes of long-term, structural changes as readers and advertisers
move to the Internet. While newspapers’ online presence is surging, Internet revenues lag far
behind Internet readership. Online ad revenues made up about 10% of newspaper advertising in
2009, a figure that rose to about 12% during the second quarter of 2010.38
In one example, classified advertising, which accounted for about 50% of ad revenues for many
papers at its peak in 2008,39 has gravitated from print to specialized websites like Craigslist and
auto, real estate, and help wanted sites.40 Media companies have tried various strategies to hold
on to the classified market, with big chains like McClatchy, the Tribune Co., the Washington Post
Co., A.H. Belo, and Gannett Co. jointly owning Classified Ventures, which runs sites like
cars.com and homegain.com.41 A coalition of media firms created CareerBuilder.com, a job
placement site.42 The sour economy has, at least temporarily, undercut those efforts, with the
volume of classified ads plunging online and in print. Nationally, classified advertising in daily
papers declined 38% in 2009, with some categories falling even faster. Help-wanted ads fell 64%
in 2009 compared to the previous year.43
More broadly, the traditional formula—80% of newspaper revenues from advertising—is no
longer holding steady as newspapers try new strategies to raise revenue, such as sharply
increasing the price of the print newspaper, starting affiliated websites, and other strategies. At
some newspapers, advertising now makes up only about one-half to two-thirds of revenues.44
Other Factors
Another reason the newspaper industry is in trouble: red ink. Some large newspaper companies
took on significant debt shortly before the economic downturn hit. Real estate developer Sam
Zell, for instance, took the Tribune Co.—one of the nation’s most prominent newspaper chains—
private in 2007 in a leveraged $8.2 billion deal he later called a mistake.45 The Tribune Co., now
in bankruptcy, has imposed large staff reductions, consolidated operations, and taken other steps
to reorganize. In 2006, McClatchy Co. bought newspaper chain Knight Ridder for more than $4
billion. In May 2009, the company offered to buy back more than $1 billion of its debt at a
discount.46
38 Newspaper Association of America, “Trends and Numbers, Advertising Expenditures,” http://www.naa.org/
TrendsandNumbers/Advertising-Expenditures.aspx.
39 Fine, Lauren Rich, “Bad Public Relations or Is This a Real Crisis?: YES,” Duke Conference on Nonprofit Media,
May 4-5, 2009, p. 11.
40 Vogel, Harold L., Entertainment Industry Economics: A Guide for Financial Analysis, Sixth Edition, Cambridge:
University Press, 2004, p. 318.
41 Learmonth, Michael, “Newspapers Build Digital Portfolios,” Advertising Age, May 5, 2009.
42 Gannett, the Tribune Co., McClatchy, and Microsoft own Careerbuilder.com. http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/
aboutus/profile_main.aspx.
43 National Newspaper Association, “Trends and Numbers, Advertising Expenditures,” http://www.naa.org/
TrendsandNumbers/Advertising-Expenditures.aspx.
44 Ken Doctor, “The Newsonomics of the fading 80/20 rule,” Nieman Journalism Lab, August 5, 2010,
http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/08/the-newsonomics-of-the-fading-8020-rule/.
45 Miles, Greg and Brian Louis, “Billionaire Zell Says ‘I Made a Mistake’ in Purchasing Tribune,” Bloomberg.com,
April 15, 2009.
46 McClatchy Co., “McClatchy announces private debt exchange offer for $1.150 billion of debt securities,” Press
Release, May 21, 2009.
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Investors have soured on newspapers. Some large newspaper companies saw their stock prices
drop by more than 80% in 2008—far beyond the overall decline in the publishing industry and
various stock indices.47 Stock prices regained some ground in 2009 and 2010, but were still well
under previous peaks. For example, the New York Times Co. stock price rose from less than $4 in
early 2009 to $14 a share early in 2010, before declining to about $8 a share in September. Still,
even the recent peak was well below the $32 level of 2005.
With revenues declining and their ability to raise new capital impaired, some newspaper
companies have been in danger of breaching financing agreements with their lenders. If that
happens, lenders could terminate lines of credit and call in existing loans. Lee Enterprises, a
newspaper publishing company based in Davenport, Iowa, in its first quarter 2009 report, noted
that to secure new lines of credit, it had agreed, among other things, to limit capital spending.48 In
2010, Lee said it had been able to meet all its financial covenants, and expected to keep repaying
debt mainly with cash flow.49
In a last-ditch bid to remain viable, a number of major newspaper companies declared bankruptcy
between 2008 and 2010. Most have emerged from the bankruptcy process, several after being
purchased by hedge funds with little prior experience in the news business. Some companies that
bought the reorganized newspaper companies do not plan to assume their pension obligations.
That is forcing the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC) take over underfunded plans,
and leaving retirees with the prospect of smaller pension payments.50 Among the companies:
• The Tribune Co., which publishes the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times,
Baltimore Sun, and five other large metro daily papers. The Tribune Co. is
enmeshed in a legal battle that has hampered its ability to emerge from
bankruptcy.
• Philadelphia Newspapers LLC, which publishes the Philadelphia Inquirer and
the Philadelphia Daily News, filed for bankruptcy in February 2009. It was sold
to a group of financial firms in April 2010 after a competitive auction,51 though
the deadline for the sale was delayed until mid-September due to protracted
negotiations with affected labor unions. Pension payments have been an issue in
the dispute.52
• Sun-Times Media Group, which owns the Chicago Sun Times and suburban
papers, filed for bankruptcy in March 2009. The company was acquired by Sun-
47 Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2009: An Annual Report
on American Journalism. http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm.
48 Securities and Exchange Commission. Form 10-Q filed by Lee Enterprises for the period ended March 29, 2009.
49 Lee Enterprises, “Lee Enterprises reports Q3 earnings growth,” Press Release, July 20, 2010.
50 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, “PBGC Assumes Responsibility for Chicago Sun-Times Pension Plans,”
News Release, August 12, 2010.
51 Christopher K. Hepp and Harold Brubaker, “Phila. Newspapers Sold to Lenders,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 28,
2010.
52 Christopher K. Hepp, “Newspapers’ sale deadline extended for 2 weeks,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 31, 2010.
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Times Media Holdings, led by financier James Tyree, in October 2009.53 The
PBGC in August 2010 assumed seven Sun-Times pension plans, covering nearly
2,360 workers. According to the PBGC, the plans were 53% funded, with $55.8
million in assets to cover $106.5 million in benefit liabilities.54
• Star Tribune Holdings Co., which owns the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, filed for
bankruptcy in January 2009. It emerged as a reorganized entity in September
2009.55
• Journal-Register Co., which owns the New Haven Register, Trentonian and Daily
Local News of West Chester, Pa., among other papers, filed for bankruptcy in
February 2009. It emerged from bankruptcy, reorganized, in August 2009.56
• American Community Newspapers, which publishes the Stillwater (MN) Gazette
and the Plano Star Courier, in addition to non-daily papers in four states, filed
for bankruptcy in April 2009. The company emerged, reorganized, in June
2009.57
• Creative Loafing, which publishes alternative newspapers including the Chicago
Reader, Washington City Paper, and others, filed for bankruptcy in September
2008. The company was purchased by hedge fund Atalaya Capital Management
at a bankruptcy auction in August 2009.58
• MediaNews Group Inc., the publisher of dozens of newspapers, including the
Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News, filed for bankruptcy protection in
January 2010. It emerged from bankruptcy in March 2010.59
In recent months, newspaper companies have reported improved, but mixed, earnings. Many
major newspaper groups were profitable in the second quarter of 2010.60 However, a number of
newspaper companies reported that print advertising revenues continued to decline during the
period, even when compared to the low figures realized in the second quarter of 2009. The rate of
decline slowed, however. While ad revenues at some major newspaper firms dropped by about
30% in the second quarter of 2009 compared to the previous year, they fell by less than 10% in
the second quarter of 2010.61 Companies eked out earnings by cutting staff, raising the price of
the newspaper, reducing circulation costs, and other strategies.
53 Sun-Times Media Holdings, LLC, “Sun-Times Media Holdings LLC Announces Completion of Asset Transaction,”
Press Release, October 26, 2009, http://suntimesnewsgroup.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=418749.
54 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, “PBGC Assumes Responsibility for Chicago Sun-Times Pension Plans,”
News Release, August 12, 2010.
55 Star Tribune, “Star Tribune Emerges from Bankruptcy,” September 28, 2009, http://startribunereorg.com/
pressrelease.pdf.
56 Mark Fitzgerald, “CEO Paton: Journal Register Co. Q2 EBITDA Exceeds Goal, Profit-Sharing Could Kick In,”
Editor & Publisher, August 16, 2010.
57 Editor & Publisher, “ACN Emerges from Bankruptcy,” June 29, 2009.
58 Jacqueline Palank, “Hedge Fund Taps Media Vets to Lead Creative Loafing,” Wall Street Journal, September 2,
2009.
59 Denver Business Journal, “MediaNews Group Parent Emerges From Chapter 11,” http://denver.bizjournals.com/
denver/stories/2010/03/15/daily69.html.
60 The New York Times reported that its operating profit in the second quarter of 2010 doubled from the same period in
2009. Gannett Co. and the Washington Post Co. also reported improved earnings.
61 Alan Mutter, “Q2 newspaper sales: less bad, but not good,” Reflections of a Newsosaur, August 2, 2010,
(continued...)
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Smaller community papers generally have not experienced as severe a falloff in staff and
revenues as big metro dailies, though they have taken large hits during the downturn. Ad revenue
at community papers was down about 18.7% in the first quarter of 2009, compared to an average
decline of 28.8% at bigger papers.62 Newspaper analyst John Morton has estimated that about
1,000 smaller daily papers, with circulations under 50,000, remain profitable. Smaller papers are
in a better financial position than large dailies for several reasons. Smaller papers are less
dependent on classified ads, operate in less complex markets, and tend to be closer to their
readers and advertisers than large dailies.63
The University of Missouri-Columbia, in an annual survey for community papers, found high
brand loyalty, a preference for the print product, and less Internet competition than at big city
papers. The most recent study looked at weekly community papers located in markets of 25,000
or less.64
Alternative News Sources
As traditional, print newspapers take a financial beating, new media sources are rising on the
Internet, helped by low entry costs. Alternative sources of news and information are becoming
available to a potentially vast audience via an increasing number of wired and wireless devices
(including wireless netbooks, wireless phones, the iPhone and iPad and amazonkindle®-style
wireless e-readers). Emerging news organizations include a growing number of foundation-
funded projects focused on investigative reporting, in-depth health policy news, and local
reporting. Examples include ProPublica (ProPublica.org), Kaiser Health News, and Voice of San
Diego.65 GlobalPost is a for-profit enterprise, focused on international reporting, that relies on
advertising, syndication to newspapers, and paid membership (http://www.globalpost.com).
But even the most promising startups do not have anywhere near the resources of major city daily
papers, leading to concerns that important news will go uncovered. The decline of print
newspapers also has other, indirect impacts. Many radio and television stations piggyback on
reporting done by much larger newspaper staffs, both locally and nationally, and will be hard-
pressed to pick up the slack—especially as they impose their own cost-cutting in response to
falling revenues. For example, the Dallas Morning News, which is owned by A. H. Belo, has
more reporters in that city than the ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox television affiliates combined.66
(...continued)
http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/
62 Lane, Nancy, “Community Papers Report First Quarter 2009 Results,” Suburban Newspapers of America, June 2,
2009. http://www.suburban-news.org/News/SNANewsDetail.aspx?ID=100335.
63 Morton, John, “Not Dead Yet,” American Journalism Review, June/July 2009 issue.
64 Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Center for Advanced Social Research at the Missouri School of
Journalism at the University of Missouri, “2008 Community Newspaper Study,” with the National Newspaper
Association.
65 http://www.propublica.org/; http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/; http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/.
66 Testimony of James M. Moroney III, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology and the Internet. Hearing on The Future of Journalism: Communications, Technology,
and the Internet. May 6, 2009. http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&
Hearing_ID=7f8df1a5-5504-4f4c-ba34-ba3dc3955c61&Witness_ID=8406bab3-0f6f-422c-a805-c02103bb8ba5.
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So far, no one has come up with a workable strategy for garnering sufficient advertising or
subscription revenues on the Internet, or through a hybrid print/online model, that would enable
many troubled newspapers to continue at current staffing levels, or keep providing the same
broad array of news, from recipes to foreign affairs to sports and local politics. Papers are
experimenting, from charging “micropayments” for select content on the Internet to suggesting
revenue-sharing with online search engines, such as Google, to cracking down on unauthorized
reproduction of their content and creating their own spin-off websites and Web portals. Broadcast
outlets are starting print and Web-based products in markets where newspapers are on the
decline.67 Many newspapers are increasing subscription prices for their traditional print editions.
Table 2. Top 20 U.S. Daily Newspapers by Circulation
First six months of 2010 compared to same period in 2009
Newspaper Name
As of 3/31/10
As of 3/31/09
% Change
Wall Street Journal
2,092,523 2,082,189 0.50%
USA Today
1,826,622 2,113,725 -13.58%
New York Times
951,063 1,039,032 -8.47%
Los Angeles Times
616,606 723,181
-14.74%
Washington Post
578,482 665,383
-13.06%
New York Daily News
535,059 602,859
-11.25%
New York Post
525,004 558,140 -5.94%
San Jose Mercury News
516,701
N/A
N/A
Chicago Tribune
452,145 501,202 -9.79%
Houston Chronicle
366,578 425,138
-13.77%
Philadelphia Inquirer
356,189
N/A
N/A
Arizona Republic
351,207 389,701 -9.88%
Newsday
334,809 368,195 -9.07%
Denver Post
333,675
N/A
N/A
Minneapolis Star Tribune
295,438 320,119 -7.71%
St. Petersburg Times
278,888 283,093 -1.49%
Chicago Sun-Times
268,803 312,141
-13.88%
San Diego Union-Tribune
249,630 261,253 -4.45%
San Francisco Chronicle
241,330 312,118
-22.68%
Newark Star-Ledger
236,017 287,082
-17.79%
Source: Audit Bureau of Circulations.
67 Malone, Michael, “Stations Search for Gold in a Post-Newspaper Landscape,” Broadcasting & Cable, May 2, 2009.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/
231044Cover_Story_Stations_Search_for_Gold_In_a_Post_Newspaper_Landscape.php.
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Typically, new business models are slowly introduced as old ones become less viable. But the
current, deep recession, by cutting into newspaper earnings, has compressed the time period for
developing new business plans and limited the amount of money newspapers have to devote to
current operations, let alone craft sweeping initiatives.
Rise of the Web
For now, the key challenge for newspapers is to hold on to lucrative print readers, while finding
ways to make more money from a growing online audience that generally reads the paper for
free. Print circulation of daily papers fell by 13.5% from 2001 to 2008, and 17.3% for Sunday
editions.68 Losses are mounting. Average daily newspaper print circulation (based on the top 602
newspapers by audience size) fell 8.7% during the six-month period ending March 31, 2010,
compared to the same period in 2009 (See Table 2).69 During the previous six-month period,
circulation declined nearly 11% from the previous year.
Declining circulation numbers reflect, in part, a conscious effort by some papers to reduce
printing and other costs by moving to online-only editions or shrinking their delivery area. The
Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, which are combined in a joint operating agreement, cut
daily delivery of the print newspapers to three days a week.70 Newspapers have their own ad
campaign to promote the industry.71
As print circulation declines, online readership has surged—though it is difficult to give a precise
figure, since estimates on online readership, developed through surveys and sampling techniques,
vary widely.72 Audience measurement firm comScore pegged unique visitors to top newspaper
groups (websites operated by newspaper companies) at 123 million in May 2010. (See Table 3).
Newspapers are attracting online readers from well beyond their local communities, including
other cities and countries. Newspaper executives point to online readership as an endorsement of
their product, saying public interest in news has increased, not diminished. But readership trends
are complex, as habits and preferences evolve in response to the enormous array of information
available on the Internet, television, and through devices such as hand-held readers and cell
phones. Though readers want news, they do not necessarily want it from a traditional paper, and
are using multiple sources. For example, there is just one newspaper in the top five news websites
in 2009, as measured by Nielsen Online.73 The biggest news websites, in descending order, are
Yahoo News, MSNBC Digital Network, AOL News, CNN.com, and NYTimes.com. MSNBC had
68 Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2009: An Annual Report
on American Journalism. http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm.
69 Audit Bureau of Circulations, April 27, 2009, http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newstitlesearchus.asp; Saba,
Jennifer, “New FAS-FAX Shows (More) Steep Circulation Losses,” Editor & Publisher, April 27, 2009.
70 Press Release From Detroit Media Partnership, December 16, 2008. http://www.freep.com/article/20081216/
BUSINESS06/81216036/.
71 http://news.newspaperproject.org/.
72 Lucas Graves, “Traffic Jam: We’ll never agree about online audience size,” Columbia Journalism Review,
September/October 2010.
73 Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media, 2010: Online,
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2010/online_nielsen.php#online_top20sitesbysector.
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nearly twice the online audience of the New York Times.74 Among those sites, Yahoo and AOL
News in the past have mainly aggregated news from other organizations, though they have
recently started operations to increase their own original content.
Consumer demand and technology are changing the way news is read and offered. Most
newspapers offer a general package of sports, entertainment, business, and national stories, with
editors signaling the importance of the news by its placement in the physical paper. Today,
websites like Google or Yahoo are mimicking the job of editors, by using sophisticated computer
programs to automatically compile links to content from newspapers, wire services, blogs, and
other sources from around the world. Other so-called aggregators run websites that mix links to
newspapers’ stories with some original content, and bloggers frequently mingle newspaper and
other reporting with their own commentary and insights. Increasingly individual stories are
displayed on the Web as discrete products, separate from a broader newspaper.
Table 3. Newspaper Website Readership
Newspaper website readership at top media companies
Newspaper Website
Unique Views in May 2010
Average Pages Per Visitor
The New York Times Brand
32,530,000
22
Tribune Newspapers
24,753,000
14
Advance Internet (1)
18,053,000
18
USA Today Sites
16,771,000
9
Washington Post.com
16,677,000
11
McClatchy Corporation
13,987,000
15
MediaNews Group
13,362,000
11
New York Daily News.com
12,502,000
10
Hearst Newspapers
12,017,000
16
Wal Street Journal Online(2)
11,325,000
10
Source: comScore. Online traffic can fluctuate widely from month to month and can vary depending on the
different firms’ measurement techniques.
Note: (1) Advance Internet is a privately held company that oversees the Internet strategy for affiliates of
Advance Publications, Inc., The company has developed branded sites for local newspapers including NJ.com,
cleveland.com and OregonLive. (2) Wall Street Journal Online is a paid website.
About 22% of readers who visited newspaper websites in March 2009 arrived indirectly, by first
clicking onto online search engines like Google, with another big share arriving through the front
page of Web portals like Yahoo or MSN, according to one analysis. A separate 22% came from
traffic moving between media and news websites containing links to specific stories.75 Once
readers arrive at newspaper websites, they spend less time there, on average, than print readers
spend reading a traditional newspaper, though some studies show that time online has been
74 Langeveld, Martin, “Online newspaper audience growth: Good news? Not really,” Nieman Journalism Lab, Harvard
University, April 26, 2009. http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/04/online-newspaper-audience-growth-good-news-not-
really/#more-4442.
75 Dougherty, Heather, “Online news aggregators—friend or foe?,” Hitwise, April 8, 2009. http://weblogs.hitwise.com/
heather-dougherty/2009/04/online_news_aggregators_friend.html.
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increasing. Web readers spend an average of 53 minutes a week with newspapers—or just under
eight minutes a day, according to a study by the Annenberg School of Communication at the
University of Southern California. The study also found, however, that 22% of readers had
recently dropped a paid print newspaper or magazine subscription because they could get the
paper free online.76
By contrast, Northwestern University researchers found that consumers who read print
newspapers in 2008 averaged 27 minutes with the paper on weekdays and 57 minutes on
Sundays. Readers peruse their print newspaper about five days a week, completing 60% of the
newspaper on a typical weekday and 62% on Sunday.77
Younger consumers have traditionally had lower readership rates than older consumers, a trend
that is continuing and possibly accelerating, even though young Americans are spending more
time online. Just 5% of teens and 9% of young adults called themselves heavy users of
newspapers in a 2007 survey. At the same time, only 8% of teens and 13% of young adults
reported themselves as heavy consumers of Internet-based news—while the majority of both age
groups termed themselves non-users of news.78 But older Americans may be less loyal readers
than in the past. The Pew Research Center, in a survey of 2008 reading patterns, found 53% of
those in the Silent/Greatest Generation age bracket (born before 1946) reported reading a
newspaper the previous day. A decade earlier, the share was 65%.79
Interdependence
While future growth is clearly online, there is still a huge interdependence between traditional
print, with its tens of millions of readers, and emerging Internet products. Many so-called new
media ventures rely partly on print advertising for their revenues. The political news publication
Politico makes about 50% of its money from ads in its free print newspaper (published several
times a week), even though it has more than 3 million online readers.80 Web aggregators such as
the Huffington Post or Drudge Report rely on links to information and content from traditional
print newspapers. The combination of a print and Web presence can give a paper a potent reach.
In 81 local markets studied by Scarborough Research, 75% of adults read the paper weekly in
print or online.81
76 University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication, Annual Internet Survey by the Center for
the Digital Future finds large increases in use of online newspapers, April 29, 2009. http://www.digitalcenter.org/pdf/
2009_Digital_Future_Project_Release_Highlights.pdf. Other studies peg online readership at much lower levels. Data
by Nielsen Online for the National Newspaper Assn. show the more than 70 million unique online readers in April
visited websites an average of eight times and spent 43 minutes online per month. http://www.naa.org/
TrendsandNumbers/Newspaper-Websites.aspx.
77 Peer, Limor, Mary Nesbitt and Bob LeBailly, “Reader Behavior Scores, local daily newspapers, 2008,” Northwestern
University, July 2008. http://www.readership.org/consumers/rbs/data/rbs2008.pdf.
78 Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Young People and News, Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press,
Politics and Public Policy, July 2007, p 11.
79 Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, “Newspapers Face a Challenging Calculus,” February 26, 2009.
80 Information comes from Politico Editor-in-Chief John Harris in a June 27 speech to the Individuated News
Conference, held at the Washington Times, Washington, DC.
81 Scarborough Research, “Rochester, Cleveland and Buffalo are Tops for Print/Online Newspaper Readers,” March
25, 2009. http://www.scarborough.com/press_releases/INA%20FINAL%203.25.pdf.
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For a time it appeared the traditional advertising model might work for online news, as Internet
ad revenues started to take off earlier this decade. Those trends have begun to reverse. Combined
newspaper print and online ad revenue was $27.6 billion in 2009, down about 44% from the 2005
level of $49.4 billion.82 The 2009 figure includes $24.8 billion from print and $2.7 billion from
online advertising (which was down 11.8% from 2008).
There are a host of reasons why newspapers’ Internet ad revenues have not been more robust,
including the fact that the industry arguably was somewhat slow to embrace the technology. In
1995, a group of nine large media companies formed the New Century Network, with the idea of
pooling resources and competing with online companies. The effort foundered as the companies
disagreed on strategy, and was shut down in 1998.83 Individual companies formed partnerships
with online companies like Amazon.com. The New York Times in 2005 announced TimesSelect,
charging readers for access to prominent editorialists and other content. It ended the venture in
2007. With $10 million in revenues, the Times believed that TimesSelect was a success, but
decided that “by opening millions of pages to search engines, that traffic growth will continue and
with it, ad revenue growth.”84 The Times has announced that it will begin a new, modified pay-
per-view system for some of its content in 2011.
Figure 2. Newspaper Advertising Revenues
Daily Newspaper Ad Revenues Have Fallen Sharply
$60,000
$50,000
rs
lla $40,000
o
D
of $30,000
$20,000
llions
Mi $10,000
$0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Print Revenues
Internet Revenues
Source: Newspaper Association of America.
82 Business Analysis and Research, Newspaper Association of America. http://www.naa.org/TrendsandNumbers/
Advertising-Expenditures.aspx (viewed May 25, 2009).
83 Dugan, Ianthe Jeanne, “New-Media Meltdown at New Century,” Business Week, March 23, 1998.
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:9y1hivSDmeQJ:www.businessweek.com/archives/1998/
b3570103.arc.htm+new+media+meltdown+at+new+century+business+week&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us.
84 Kramer, Staci D., “New York Times to Close TimesSelect Effective Midnight Tuesday; Will Open Last 20 Years of
Archives,” paid.Content.org: The Economics of Content. September 17, 2007. http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-
new-york-times-to-close-timesselect-effective-wednesday/.
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While newspapers were slow to seize the online market, Internet companies like Google, Yahoo
and others have successfully captured tens of billions of advertising dollars. Some media
executives argue that Internet companies that offer advertising on their portals next to news from
other publications, or via search engines that provide readers with headlines and a few lines of
copy from newspaper stories, are unfairly making billions of dollars in advertising revenues at the
expense of newspapers. Internet firms counter that their models fall within standard copyright
law, and provide an essential service to newspapers since the links on their websites direct
millions of readers to newspaper home pages. They also note that newspapers can easily block
content from other sources that aggregate news through simple computer code.85 Many
newspapers themselves aggregate copy from multiple sources, with specialized online newspaper
content by bloggers and columnists that frequently provide links to other media and non-media
products.86
A number of websites go beyond providing a snippet of news articles to running entire stories
from newspapers, without compensation. Media experts suggest this could be a fertile area for
newspapers to garner more revenues. Services such as Attributor.com have created computer
programs to help publishers track how their content is being used.87 The Fair Syndication
Consortium, which includes 1,500 publishers, including many newspaper companies, in late 2009
released data indicating that, from October 15, 2009, to November 15, 2009, more than 75,000
websites used at least one newspaper article online without permission.88
Some media experts say newspapers have not done enough to engage with readers, who want
more control over the news they read. Major newspapers have had online websites for more than
a decade, but initially created online versions of their print product that in retrospect were too
static for the interactive Web. Most have elected not to charge readers for their online product, on
the premise that doing so tends to reduce audience size and discourage advertisers. There are
some notable exceptions to the model: The Wall Street Journal provides general access to only
part of its website, and has more than a million paying online subscribers and provides its
newspaper subscribers with access to its online subscription site. The Associated Press, a
nonprofit cooperative of more than 1,400 newspapers, has contracted to sell full stories to Internet
firms, including America Online, Google, and Yahoo.
The number of newspaper websites allowing consumer comment, streaming video, and other
interactive features has been rising. At the same time, the number of newspapers requiring readers
simply to register to enter their websites—submitting basic age and geographic data—has
declined as the industry has moved toward an increasingly open platform.89
Even if open access does lure more readers to websites, higher readership alone may not solve the
problem. Online advertisements often sell for just a fraction of the price of print ads. A quarter-
page ad in a print newspaper generally costs about $10 per 1,000 consumers. On the Internet, a
85 Testimony of Marissa Mayer, Google Vice President, Search Products and User Experience, Senate Commerce,
Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, May 6, 2009.
86 Ibid.
87 http://www.attributor.com/about_us.php.
88 Fair Syndication Consortium, “U.S. Newspaper Content Reuse Study,” December 1, 2009,
http://www.fairsyndication.org/blog/2009/u-s-newspaper-content-reuse-study/#comments.
89 The Bivings Group, “The Use of the Internet by America’s Newspapers,” December 18, 2008.
http://www.bivingsreport.com/2008/the-use-of-the-internet-by-americas-largest-newspapers-2008-edition/.
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“skyscraper ad” up the side of the screen, or a large banner ad across the top of a screen, can run
$5 to $8 per 1,000 viewers, and some national display ads cost less than $1 per 1,000.90 Ad rates
are also declining as the number of websites competing for consumers’ attention proliferates, the
economy worsens, and companies become more sophisticated about tracking consumers who
view or click on an ad. There are signs that publishers were faring better in 2009. PubMatic, a
private firm that works with 5,500 online publishers, estimates display ad prices dropped nearly
50% from the end of 2007 to the end of 2008.91 PubMatic says that ad prices at the most
prominent online publications began to rebound in 2009.
Some publishers have had success getting higher prices for online ad rates, including a group of
about 800 newspapers that have joined in an alliance with Yahoo, which allows cross-selling of
ads on their websites and on Yahoo and more ability to target ads based on consumer data gleaned
through Web visits.92
In another challenge to the traditional ad-based model, U.S. businesses are altering advertising
strategy by developing their own specialized websites as marketing tools to drive traffic to their
stores or products. Consumers now have access to online circulars, such as Coupons.com,
RetailMeNot.com and Coupon Cabin (couponcabin.com).93 Regal Entertainment Group, the top
U.S. movie chain, told investors in 2009 it had cut its advertising from $13,000 per screen in
1999 to $3,000 a screen. Movie customers are getting more movie and show-time information
online, with newspapers now a second or third choice.94
IBM Global Business Services projects traditional media such as newspapers, radio, and
television will have 32% of the advertising market in 2012, down from 47% in 2002.95
Advertisers are turning to strategies like product placement in films and television, and are trying
to tap into social networks such as Facebook. Companies are using online data to closely track
specific shoppers and tailor products to their needs, raising potential privacy issues.96
Searching for New Business Models
The Harvard Business School has developed a case study, entitled The Newspaper Industry in
Crisis, as a teaching tool “to help students to understand the dynamics of radical industry change
and foster a discussion around potentially viable business models on the internet.” The premise of
the study is that the newspaper’s 19th century business model has been turned upside down by the
near instantaneous dissemination of news through multiple channels. The rapidity of industry
90 Borrell, Gordon, CEO of Borrell Associates, a Williamsburg, Va.-based advertising consulting firm.
91 PubMatic, “The Q4 2008 AdPrice Index,” January 2009. PubMatic, “Premium Publisher Ad Price Index: 2009 Year
in Review,” http://www.pubmatic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PubMatic_Ad_Price_Index_Jan_2010.pdf.
92 Helft, Miguel, Yahoo Teams with Newspapers to Sell Ads, New York Times, February 27, 2009.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/technology/internet/28yahoo.html.
93 The Nielsen Co., “The Global Online Media Landscape, Identifying Opportunities in a Challenging Market,” p. 17.
http://nielsen-online.com/emc/0904_report/nielsen-online-global-lanscapefinal1.pdf.
94 Regal Entertainment Investor Day, May 12, 2009. See Reuters Mediafile, “Regal: Movie goers use Web for info, not
Newspapers,” May 13, 2009. http://blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2009/05/13/regal-movie-goers-use-web-for-info-not-
newspapers/.
95 Berman, Saul, Bill Battino and Karen Feldman, “Beyond Advertising: Choosing a strategic path to the digital
consumer,” IBM Global Business Services, p. 6.
96 CRS Report RL34693, Privacy Law and Online Advertising, by Kathleen Ann Ruane.
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change has forced newspaper executives to make major business decisions with only limited data
and real-world experience.97
Newspapers are increasingly talking about setting up so-called pay walls around parts of their
product. Some experts predict media companies could end up in a net loss position, however,
even if they set low online subscription or individual payment fees.98 James Moroney, publisher
and CEO of the Dallas Morning News, speaking on behalf of newspaper publishers, asked a
Senate Commerce subcommittee in May 2009 to give newspapers a limited antitrust exemption
so they could “jointly experiment with innovative content distribution and cost-saving
arrangements.”99 Moroney argued that newspapers must act as a group to impose new payments
for online content if their efforts are to be successful. Without joint action, readers will simply
turn to other online information.
But publishers are starting to rework their online strategy even without congressional action.
MediaNews Group, which operates 54 daily papers in 11 states, has announced that it will stop
providing unfettered access to its websites, saying the policy was “an injustice” to print
subscribers and created the impression that the content had no value. The company plans to begin
charging for select content, create more separation between its online and print sites, and create a
new “local utility site” focused on younger readers with entertainment, shopping, and other
services.100
Publisher Steven Brill and other media investors have created a venture called Journalism Online,
to create a password-protected website where consumers can buy annual or monthly
subscriptions, day passes, or single articles from major publishers. The company would also
negotiate licensing and royalty fees with search engines and other providers.101 A consortium of
newspapers working with Yahoo to improve ad targeting is seeing some early success.102
Consumers who buy Amazon.com Kindle e-readers, Barnes & Noble Nook e-readers, or any of a
growing number of similar electronic devices can purchase monthly subscriptions to the New
York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and numerous other major newspapers at rates
that can be hundreds of dollars below the cost of a print subscription.103 Newspapers and other
media organizations have developed a multitude of media applications for Apple’s iPad and
iPhone. Some, including USA Today, are free, while others are fee-based.
97 Collis, David J., Peter Olson, Mary Furey, The Newspaper Industry in Crisis, Harvard Business School, Case Study #
N2-709-463, March 11, 2009.
98 Langeveld, Martin, “Paying for online news, Sorry but the math just doesn’t work,” Nieman Journalism Lab,
Harvard University, April 3, 2009; Media Café, Mignon Media, “Charging for Online Content? New Updated Figures
for newspapers with a circulation of 50K.” http://mediacafe.blogspot.com/.
99 Testimony of James M. Moroney III, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee
on Communications, Technology and the Internet. Hearing on The Future of Journalism: Communications,
Technology, and the Internet. May 6, 2009. http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=
Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=7f8df1a5-5504-4f4c-ba34-ba3dc3955c61&Witness_ID=8406bab3-0f6f-422c-a805-
c02103bb8ba5.
100 MediaNews memo, May 8, 2009. http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=163508.
101 “Media Leaders Form Journalism Online, LLC,” press release April 14, 2009. http://www.journalismonline.com/.
102 Ives, Nat, “Some Newspapers Booking Local Ads, Thanks to Yahoo,” Advertising Age, May 21, 2009.
103 See http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Newspapers/b/ref=sa_menu_knews3?ie=UTF8&node=1263068011&pf_rd_p=
328655101&pf_rd_s=left-nav-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=
1JJBXJHBAD4E07CYSZDS. See http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks/enewspapers.asp.
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In a small number of cases, papers are turning to Web-only production. Researchers at the City
University of London analyzed a 2007 decision by the Finnish financial daily Taloussanomat to
become the first all-digital newspaper in Europe. The paper ended subscriptions and offered
readers access through the Web, mobile phones, and e-mail. The newspaper reduced costs more
than 50% by eliminating print and delivery cost, and saved additional money by reducing staff.
Revenues plunged by 75%, however, from the loss of print ads and circulation dollars. Online
advertising did not increase as expected. “Although Taloussanomat’s visitor numbers have risen
following their decision to go online-only, the rise has been faltering and markedly less than at
some other online newspapers that retained a print edition.”104
The authors say Taloussanomat’s strategy could work for some troubled papers, but operating
losses need to be high to justify such a dramatic change. In the United States, there are indications
that Web readership has fallen off since the Seattle Post Intelligencer moved to a Web-only
publication.
The Christian Science Monitor was the first national newspaper to move to a Web-only daily
edition. The paper also offers readers the chance to subscribe to a weekly print and daily e-mail
edition. Christian Science Monitor Editor John Yemma said the CSMonitor.com in September
2010 had 5 million-plus monthly unique visitors, with monthly page views of 17 million—three
times the level of a year ago. Weekly print circulation was 70,000. The paper also circulates via
free newsletters, an e-mail Daily News Briefing PDF document, and e-readers such as the
Amazon.com Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook.105
Some newspaper publishers are trying to diversify their operations to generate additional revenue
streams. Often, however, the companies have branched into other media and Internet ventures
that are also taking a financial hit during the downturn. Gannett, in addition to being the nation’s
largest newspaper chain, owns television stations and is investing in digital products, such as
PointRoll, an Internet ad services business. Gannett earned $586 million from digital operations
in 2009, out of overall revenues of $5.6 billion. Gannett publishing revenues declined 23% for the
year, compared to 2008, while digital revenues were down a smaller 15%.106 The Washington
Post Co., which owns the Washington Post and Newsweek, derives the bulk of its revenues from
its Kaplan Inc. educational division and its Cable One cable division.107
Nonprofits
One idea garnering significant attention is organizing or reorganizing newspapers as nonprofit
entities, thus shielding them from taxes on certain income and allowing businesses and
individuals to deduct the cost of subscriptions or to make tax-deductible contributions. Senator
Cardin’s proposal, S. 673, would clarify questions about tax deductibility, allowable advertising,
and other issues, while making it clear that newspapers organized as nonprofits would not be
allowed to make political endorsements.
104 Thurman, Neal and Merja Myllylahti, “Taking the Paper out of News: A case study of Taloussanomat, Europe’s
first online-only newspaper,” Graduate School of Journalism, City University, London, 2009.
105 Interview with John Yemma, September 8, 2010.
106 Gannett Co., 2009 Annual Report, p. 28, http://www.gannett.com/GCI2009AnnualReport.pdf.
107 Standard & Poor’s Stock Report, Washington Post Co., May 23, 2009. Washington Post, “The Washington Post
Reports Second Quarter Earnings,” Press Release, August 6, 2010.
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Newspaper publishers and union representatives have been discussing similar proposals that
would let newspapers organize as low-profit limited liability corporations, known as L3Cs, that
combine aspects of a nonprofit and for-profit business, including a cap on profits. The L3Cs are
allowed in some states.108
There are already a number of high profile, nonprofit news organizations operating in the United
States, including the Christian Science Monitor.109 Times Publishing Co., which is owned by the
nonprofit Poynter Institute for Media Studies, an educational institution. The Poynter Institute
publishes the St. Petersburg Times; Tampa Bay Times, a free daily; and Florida Trend, a business
magazine. After-tax earnings are put back into the business and into the Poynter Institute, a
nonprofit educational institution.110
Publisher Nelson Poynter created the nonprofit structure in the 1970s in part to shield the St.
Petersburg Times from outside corporate raiders and ensure its editorial independence. That
mission appears to have succeeded, but the model is not a guarantee of financial security in a
changing market environment. Just as other educational institutions have seen their endowments
decline, the Poynter Institute is facing financial pressures. The severe housing slump in Florida
has hurt newspaper earnings. The Poynter Institute in 2009 sold two of its publications,
Congressional Quarterly and Governing magazine.111
The nonprofit model is gaining ground in some areas such as investigative journalism.
Organizations including the Center for Investigative Reporting, the Center for Public Integrity,
and Investigative Reporters and Editors have worked for years to expand and strengthen
investigative reporting through their own projects and by training journalists. ProPublica, which
started operations in 2008, has a staff of more than 30 reporters pursuing investigative stories,
sometimes in conjunction with other media organizations. The field is rapidly expanding, often in
affiliation with colleges and universities, many with their own schools of journalism. There are
investigative reporting centers at Columbia University, Brandeis University, American University,
and Boston University. Another center is supported by the University of Wisconsin. Efforts are
under way to create centers at the University of Washington and at the University of Colorado.112
The Huffington Post, in partnership with Atlantic Philanthropies, created an investigative
reporting project, with an initial $1.75 million budget.
Additional nonprofit models include the Pulitzer Center On Crisis Reporting
(http://www.pulitzercenter.org), which focuses on training and reporting of international news.
MinnPost (http://www.minnpost.com) is a nonprofit news website, as is voice of san diego.org.
108 Pickard, Victor, Josh Stearns & Craig Aaron, Saving the News: Toward a National Journalism Strategy. Free Press,
2009. http://www.freepress.net/files/saving_the_news.pdf.
109 The St. Petersburg Times won two Pulitzer Prizes in 2009, one for national reporting and the other for feature
writing. Columbia University News, Columbia University Announces 93rd Annual Pulitzer Prizes In Journalism,
Letters, Drama and Music, April 20, 2009.
110 http://www.hoovers.com/the-poynter-institute/—ID__107699—/free-co-factsheet.xhtml; “The Poynter Institute,
What We Do,” http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=8090.
111 James Thorner, “Times Publishing Co. agrees to sell Governing magazine to e.Republic,” St. Petersburg Times,
November 21, 2009, http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/realestate/times-publishing-co-agrees-to-sell-governing-
magazine-to-erepublic/1053155.
112 Houston, Brant, Knight Chair in Investigative and Enterprise Reporting, University of Illinois, “The First Draft:
Emerging Models for Regional and State Non-Profit Investigative Journalism Centers,” Duke Conference on Nonprofit
Media, May 4-5, 2009.
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Public Policy Issues
Some observers suggest that escalating problems in the newspaper industry could have broad
social and civic implications, as fewer reporters monitor increasingly complex decisions by
government and business. A Princeton University analysis published by the National Bureau of
Economic Research found, for example, that the year after the Cincinnati Post closed in 2007,
fewer candidates in the suburbs that had previously been covered by the paper ran for municipal
office, incumbents became more likely to win, and voter turnout fell.113
Alberto Ibarguen, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, worries that many
Americans will have less access to news, including those in areas not served by high-speed
broadband, the poor, and older readers who are less Web-savvy. News could become more
bifurcated, with significantly less access for many citizens. The Web offers abundant information
on national and international issues. It is also a place where Americans are splintering into self-
defined communities—connected through social networks or shared interests like travel or
sports—whereas mainstream newspapers serve civic societies defined by geographic and political
boundaries.114 “We already live in an era where it is more likely that a high school student can
more easily access information about swine flu or the crisis in Darfur than corruption in city
government or decisions about education in his town,” Ibarguen told a Senate committee in May.
Other observers see the decline of newspapers as part of a natural, even necessary, transition for
an industry that is variously described as having become too liberal, too corporate, too smug, or
too ineffectual and generally in need of a good shaking up. In a market-based economy, some
argue, the best approach is to let new models arise without government direction or interference.
In a recent survey, only 43% of respondents said losing their local newspaper would hurt civic
life in their community “a lot.”115
Mark Potts, a former Washington Post journalist who is now a media consultant and analyst, in a
recent speech and subsequent Web posting, questioned the suggestion that communities will be
bereft of options if major newspapers such as the Baltimore Sun cease operation. At a symposium
in Baltimore he laid out a list of alternative weekly papers, business publications, websites and
blogs that have already arisen to serve local readers.116
Congressional Action
Congress has begun discussing broader issues arising from the transformation of the newspaper
industry, but the debate has not gone beyond the hearing stage. The House Judiciary
Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy in April 2009 held a hearing on the possibility
113 Schulhofer-Wohl, Sam and Miguel Garrido, “Do Newspapers Matter? Evidence from the Closure of the Cincinnati
Post,” National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper 14817, March 2009. http://www.nber.org/papers/
w14817.pdf.
114 Testimony of Alberto Ibarguen, President, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, May 6, 2009.
115 “Stop the Presses? Many Americans Wouldn’t Care a Lot if Local Papers Folded,” The Pew Research Center for the
People & the Press, March 12, 2009.
116 Potts, Mark, “Choices in Charm City,” Recovering Journalist, June 3, 2009. http://recoveringjournalist.typepad.com/
recovering_journalist/2009/06/choices-in-charm-city-1.html.
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of changing antitrust law to allow more collaboration and mergers in the newspaper industry. The
Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet held a
general hearing on the issue in May 2008. The Joint Economic Committee held a hearing on the
state of the news industry in September 2009.117
The FTC in June 2010 completed a series of three workshops on the state of the news media. As
part of the process, FTC staff compiled a discussion draft118 of suggestions from industry analysts
and officials who participated in the process. The suggestions included expanding copyright
protection for news, creating a national fund for local news to be funded from fees on telecom
users, radio and television broadcast licensees, or Internet service providers; and imposing other
taxes on consumers and businesses to subsidize journalism. FTC Chairman Jon Liebowitz
opened the final roundtable in June 2010 by emphasizing that the FTC had not endorsed the
discussion draft and stating that “taxing anyone to subsidize journalism is just a non-starter. In
addition, as a competition agency, we are pretty allergic to antitrust exemptions, as well as to
changes to expand copyright law.”119
Just as there is no one business model that will return newspapers to the recent era of double-digit
profitability, there does not appear to be any one legislative proposal that will stabilize the
newspaper industry. The issue is further complicated by the fact that government involvement in
the press raises potential conflicts of interest. Reporters and editorialists cover, and often write
stories about, the legislators who are now being asked for help. Elected officials depend on
newspapers for political endorsements and to communicate with their constituents.
Industry Proposals
Newspaper publishers in May 2009, among other things, asked the Senate to temporarily relax
antitrust law to allow them to work together to set a new pricing policy for the Internet and to
change tax law to allow media companies to write off past losses.120
Relaxing federal antitrust law to allow more newspaper mergers or to let newspaper publishers
collaborate on Internet pricing policy could help bring new investment into the industry and
create economies of scale. But the Newspaper Guild, one of the main unions in the newspaper
industry, argues that newspaper chains have used mergers to undermine existing contracts.121 The
policy could put startups at a disadvantage. The Justice Department at a House Judiciary
subcommittee hearing was cool to expanded antitrust exemptions, saying current antitrust law is
117 Joint Economic Committee, “The Future of Newspapers: The Impact on the Economy and Democracy,” September
24, 2009, http://jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Hearings&ContentRecord_id=ce03ce4d-5056-8059-76f2-
8b02fccb18e3&ContentType_id=14f995b9-dfa5-407a-9d35-56cc7152a7ed&Group_id=6d8935b0-4db8-4fc0-991e-
3613943b7e4f&MonthDisplay=9&YearDisplay=2009.
118 Federal Trade Commission, Potential Policy Recommendations to Support the Reinvention of Journalism,
http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/news/jun15/docs/new-staff-discussion.pdf.
119 Federal Trade Commission, “From Town Criers to Bloggers: How Will Journalism Survive the Internet Age?” June
15, 2010, http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/news/jun15/100615transcript.pdf.
120 Testimony of James M. Moroney III, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology and the Internet. Hearing on The Future of Journalism: Communications, Technology,
and the Internet. May 6, 2009. http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&
Hearing_ID=7f8df1a5-5504-4f4c-ba34-ba3dc3955c61&Witness_ID=8406bab3-0f6f-422c-a805-c02103bb8ba5.
121 Testimony by Newspaper Guild President Bernie Lunzer to the House Judiciary Committee, April 17, 2009.
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flexible enough to meet the needs of the changing media marketplace.122 Media companies are
already announcing plans to move ahead with efforts to impose subscription or other pay rules for
online content, in the absence of congressional action.123
Another potential avenue involves the fair use doctrine of copyright law. Some publishers say
Internet aggregators or search engines are profiting unfairly selling advertising via Internet search
functions that display several lines or headlines of original newspaper stories.124 Internet firms
say their policies provide a major benefit to newspapers by directing millions of readers to their
websites when they click on the displayed links. Newspapers have the ability to block so-called
aggregators from posting links to their copy, and can require readers to register or subscribe to
access their websites. A number of newspapers are themselves aggregators, with in-house
bloggers or reporters who post links to other newspaper stories.
Even if newspapers do find a way to generate significantly higher online advertising returns, there
are questions about whether Web-based revenues will be sufficient to support newspapers of the
current size and scope.125
Supporting the General Practice of Journalism
Some media experts have suggested that the best approach is arms-length federal involvement,
where Congress provides federal funding to support the general practice of news gathering, rather
than supporting specific newspapers. Such proposals include helping newspapers convert to
employee-owned or nonprofit entities, increasing public funding for existing institutions like the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, creating a public trust to support reporting, and bolstering
journalism programs affiliated with educational institutions.126
Former Washington Post managing editor Steve Coll, now president of the New America
Foundation, is among those suggesting that Congress support journalism by increasing funding
for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or the National Endowment for the Humanities.127
Free Press, a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting citizen participation in journalism, has
suggested a research and development fund for innovation in journalism.128 Other proposals
include creating a jobs-for-journalists program, instituting a prepackaged bankruptcy structure
making it easier for papers to reorganize,129 and ending efforts to overturn a 2003 Federal
122 Statement of Carl Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics, Antitrust Division, Department of
Justice, House Justice Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, April 21, 2009.
123 Testimony of Marissa Mayer, Google Vice President, Search Products and User Experience, Senate Commerce,
Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, May 6, 2009.
124 Testimony of James M. Moroney III, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology, and the Internet. Hearing on The Future of Journalism: Communications, Technology,
and the Internet. May 6, 2009.
125 Collis, David J., Peter Olson, Mary Furey, The Newspaper Industry in Crisis, Harvard Business School, Case Study
# N2-709-463, March 11, 2009.
126 Remarks of Acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps, Free Press Summit: Changing Media, Washington, DC May
14, 2009. http://www.fcc.gov.
127 Testimony of Steve Coll, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, May 6, 2009.
128 Pickard, Victor, Josh Stearns and Craig Aaron, Saving The News: Toward a National Journalism Strategy, Free
Press, May 2009. http://www.freepress.net/files/saving_the_news.pdf.
129 Ibid.
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Communications Commission (FCC) decision allowing cross-ownership of broadcast and print
outlets in the same market.130 Another option could be to expand broadband access and increase
training and technology literacy programs to ensure that all consumers have access to Internet
news.131
U.S. public financing has been controversial in the past, however. Republican lawmakers in the
mid-1990s, for example, tried to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
citing its perceived liberal bias. The issue flared up again in the 2005 appropriations process.132
At the state level, the Washington legislature approved a temporary, 40% state tax break for the
news industry.133 New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in July 2009 announced initiatives to
encourage new media companies to locate in the city.134 Internationally, France has announced it
will provide free, one-year newspaper subscriptions to teenagers on their 18th birthday, increase
French government print advertising, and boost financial support for newspaper deliveries.135
More narrowly, the Senate Press Gallery has had to review its definition of what constitutes a
reporter or news agency, in response to requests from foundation-supported and online
organizations that seek full press credentials, needed to cover much of official Washington.136
“While we may have once hoped that we could merely shift our operations online and continue
operating as usual, the comparably much smaller revenue generated from Internet advertising has
shown that we must continue to look for another answer. We can’t wait to see if advertising
revenue comes back after the recession is over, as much of it won’t,” Philadelphia Newspapers
CEO Brian Tierney told a House subcommittee in April.137
Congressional committees are considering holding additional hearings on the state of the
newspaper industry, but as yet there is no major push for legislative action. Advertising revenues
have not yet rebounded, opening the possibility of further staff layoffs and pay cuts, curtailed
circulation, and other measures, including retrenchment at papers across the country. It is unclear
whether newspapers will quickly be able to develop a new business model that will allow for the
continuation of most existing general-interest publications, or whether the industry will
reorganize as smaller, more targeted products—with readers pulling from a variety of specialized
sources for their news.
130 Testimony of Alberto Ibarguen, President John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Senate Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, May 6, 2009.
131 Ibid.
132 Farhi, Paul, “Public Broadcasting Targeted by House,” Washington Post, June 10, 2005, P. A1.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/09/AR2005060902283.html.
133 “Gov. Gregoire approves tax cut for Washington state newspapers,” Seattle Times, May 12, 2009.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009212482_apwanewspapertaxcuts.html.
134 McGeehan, Patrick, “City Starts Program to Foster Entrepreneurial New Media,” New York Times, July 8, 2009.
135 Pfanner, Eric, “France Expands Its Financial Support for Newspapers,” New York Times, Jan 23, 2009, p. B2.
136 Senate Press Gallery Staff.
137 Written statement of Brian Tierney, CEO of Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC, House Judiciary Subcommittee on
Courts and Competition Policy, April 21, 2009.
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Author Contact Information
Suzanne M. Kirchhoff
Analyst in Industrial Organization and Business
skirchhoff@crs.loc.gov, 7-0658
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