Client to NYT: “Eff the paper”

February 27, 2009 | Written by

Following Yan’s post on monetization, I thought it would be interesting to share the thoughts of a client of mine who recently visited the New York Times to discuss the economy.

The conversation ranged on which industry will tank next, which industries are doing ok, and how we’ll know when the recovery is coming. Not a happy conversation at all, but one highlight was when he told the reporter that he should pick a time in the coming few years and "F [dash dash dash] the paper."

It took some effort not to let my jaw hit the floor, but he had a good point, much like Yan did. Our methods of consuming media are rapidly changing. My boss no longer watches the evening news on her TV, but rather her computer. Several of my Ruder Finn colleagues (who talk to media all day long) can’t remember the last time they picked up a physical newspaper.

My client in particular highlighted Craigslist as being one of the harbingers for paper media that the model will need to change. People stopped buying classified ads in the paper. It’s not that people stopped looking for used cars and SWFs, they just went the way of the web. Newspapers didn’t revamp quickly enough to grab those people back.

The key point is that people will always want news. Whether it’s an op-ed in the FT, high school sports scores in your local paper, or your cubicle mate’s lunch plans on Twitter. People will always look for news, information, and analysis. The question is how it will be delivered.

How do you receive your news?