'Are Newspapers Dying?' Thread

[The Baron]

Circulation Is Still Declining

[Jeff of Earth-J]

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

In addition to never having a newspaper subscription as an adult, I've never subscribed to any magazine either. The last print edition of Back Issue I bought is still on my nightstand about half read. I just checked, and its from 2017.

I usually enjoy it when I do read a newspaper or magazine, its just finding the time, and I never do.

[The Baron]

I had a newspaper subscription for a while when I lived in a small town where the nearest newsstand was a bit of a drive away, but never since then.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I have always had some kind of access to a daily newspaper, but I've taken a subscription out in my name only since moving to Texas 21 years ago. I had to let what few magazine subscriptions I had drop because local P.O. policy is evidently to fold the largest piece of mail around all the other mail. My (unpaid) subscription to Entertainment Weekly always came creased (even if there was no other mail that day), but I didn't really care about that one so much. I have complained on more than one occasion about other mailings being damaged to no avail. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

When I grew up, my father bought all three (yes, three) daily newspapers every day, but he never subscribed because he only wanted the latest editions.

I subscribe to one of the two daily newspapers, but would absolutely never do so for the other rag, which isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

[doc photo]

My Dad always maintained a subscription to at least one of our local newspapers. It was a habit that greatly influenced me.  One of the first things I did when I moved out on my own was to subscribe to a local newspaper. I continued to subscribe until just a few years ago. This year I gave in and started a digital subscription. I have gotten used to reading the paper in this form but I greatly miss Sunday mornings with the paper and all its supplements spread out on the table while I read and enjoyed a cup of coffee.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

My Dallas Morning News wasn't delivered this past Sunday. I called for redelivery, but that somehow fell through the cracks, too. I finally bought a copy (@ 3.99) at three o'clock in the afternoon (!). When I called Monday to complain, I knew they'd offer to tack an addition copy on to the end of my subscription, which I assumed was less than the newsstand price. (I set up the subscription, but Tracy pays the bills.) I was gobsmacked to learn that I was paying $7.29 a week (that is, per copy)! The man I spoke to was able to get the price down, but still not below cover price. Then he told, for the same price, I could either get just Sunday, or I could get Wednesday and Sunday, or I could get Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I opted for the three days at the lower price than I had previously been paying for only one. 

I had been planning to deduct $4 from my carrier's tip this December, but I guess I should deduct $7. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

I am remiss in posting this, but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is killing its daily print edition, and will print only on Sundays. From Saporta Report: "AJC Plans to Discontinue Daily Print Editions, But Will Keep a Sunday/Weekend Newspaper"

I've noted this trend with magazines and alternative weekly newspapers going online-only, but this is the first semi-major daily newspaper that's made the move.

[ClarkKent_DC]

iParade Magazine, the venerable Sunday newspaper insert, will kill its print edition in November.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

AW! No more Marilyn vos Savant? I start my Sunday newspaper with Parade each week.

[Captain Comics]

From The Washinngton Post:

Is the print newspaper comics page in trouble?

By Michael Cavna

Published September 24, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT

Is this the beginning of the end for the daily printed comics page in many American towns and cities?

Some cartoonists and readers fear such a trend as Lee Enterprises, an Iowa-based media company that owns nearly 80 daily newspapers, is transitioning to a “uniform set of offerings” with its comics, puzzles and advice columns, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a Lee paper. The newspaper reported Sept. 11 that as a result, its print section would cut back to “a half-page of comics” Mondays through Saturdays.

Full story.

[ClarkKent_DC]

We discuss this over in the thread "All-Purpose Newspaper Strips Discussion," beginning here. 

What's-his-name from Dilbert has been pushing this as "woke" newspapers trying to shut him down, as if it isn't affecting several other cartoonists, like Dan Piraro of Bizarro, who speaks to the issue on his blog: "Has Bizarro Been Canceled?"

Captain Comics said:

From The Washinngton Post:

Is the print newspaper comics page in trouble?

By Michael Cavna

Published September 24, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT

Is this the beginning of the end for the daily printed comics page in many American towns and cities?

Some cartoonists and readers fear such a trend as Lee Enterprises, an Iowa-based media company that owns nearly 80 daily newspapers, is transitioning to a “uniform set of offerings” with its comics, puzzles and advice columns, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a Lee paper. The newspaper reported Sept. 11 that as a result, its print section would cut back to “a half-page of comics” Mondays through Saturdays.

Full story.