Comments on: Are Local Print Community Newspapers Dead?

By: Adam Singer

Adam Singer — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:43:52 +0000

@Tom – I can’t speak for Australia, but the trend we have going in the USA is they are all shrinking.

By: Tom - StandOutBlogger.com

Tom - StandOutBlogger.com — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:33:02 +0000

the local newspaper in my area is the fastest growing in the whole of Australia. I don’t think that local newspapers are going to die any time soon.

By: Tim Jahn

Tim Jahn — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:25:15 +0000

I agree with you here. I think we can safely say print is dying and it’s not an if situation, it’s a when situation.

The newspapers (and giant media companies in general) need to evolve and innovate – not sit around and try to catch up with technology from 5 years ago. The newspapers are so behind and falling more behind every day.

They need to read this post and brainstorm alternative ideas to continue their evolution. :)

By: Adam Singer

Adam Singer — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:52:01 +0000

@nicole – yes, but what I was getting at is don’t you think the web enables a much better, enhanced and interactive version of this that actually lets everyone have a say?

What if instead of a printed community newspaper, a hyperlocal social network was setup to do all the traditional functions of a printed community paper AND all the amazing new social functions of the web.

The web truly empowers the democratization of news and information locally and makes it far more valuable. Print is just so much less effective in comparison.

I may be a few years ahead of myself, but in the future your print rag you pick up outside a restaurant will evolve into an interactive social tool. The people that start on these sites *now* will be the ones running the important local community organizations of tomorrow.

By: nicole

nicole — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:53:56 +0000

i dont think its irrelevant at all. communities need an outlet for news somewhere and parents, schools, all those places love those kind of publications.