Why Newspapers Still Win (sometimes)

by Brian Reich | 16 May 2006, 2:00am

Mark Cuban and I are on the same page when it comes to the value of newspapers.   Print newspapers continue to offer more substance than their online news counterparts.   This is what Cuban wrote on Blog Maverick  over the weekend:  

So if the choice came down to newspapers at the breakfast table, or regurgitation online. Newspapers at breakfast win.

Whats the moral of the story ? Depth and differentiation beat speed and regurgitation.   I read the NY Times business section with a grain of salt, knowing it can be less than factual, but I read it every day. I   know that they differentiate themselves by finding topics of interest to me that I cant find anywhere else. If they find something I care about, the net, among other tools, allows me to find out more. The NY Times business section gets my business because their stories are different from the stories I read anywhere else.

During the playoffs, I make sure to read the local newspapers because they have made the decision to differentiate their coverage to include depth and in some cases differentiated information, far beyond what is available online. If they invested the same effort during the season, I would be sure to read it every day. Im sure fans of other sports and topics would feel the same way.

I love the speed and access to news online as much as anyone, but I read because I want to learn something.   Until the online news business model  prioritizes content over aggregation, there will always be room for thoughtful reporting, analysis and commentary.   Since  print journalists seem more committed to producing that kind of content, there will always be room for print newspapers as well.

TAGS : Journalism News