SCOOPING THE NEWS ALERT

The “invisible hand” of economics is choking traditional newspapers to death. Really bad news keeps coming as the U.S. economy tries to find this cycle’s bottom. Unfortunately, the ratchet effect downward will probably not be reversible for many newspapers. Once a newspaper is lost it may stay lost.

When the economy starts a recovery we do not expect to see a newspaper revival. Unlike GM and the automotive industry no one is doing back flips to save newspapers from stopping their presses or going bankrupt. As the economy begins its recovery automotive buyers will start showing up at dealerships – the automobiles and trucks offered may change some depending on government requirements and the price of gas. But that downsized industry will return because getting around in the U.S., with too few exceptions, requires personal vehicles.

However, the news void created by traditional newspapers ending publication will most likely get filled by other sources haphazardly and quickly. Restarting a traditional newspaper will require deep pockets and be a daunting task in search of a successful business model. How many traditional newspapers will be left depends on the depth of the downward run and the width of the trough at the bottom of this current economic cycle.

The replacement news sources during this period will be interesting to watch. Journalists may be in for chaotic times like a return to the days of the Wild West. Scooping the News will be on the frontier exploring the options and innovations as they develop – looking for success stories. Could the www.indenvertimes.com become one of those success stories (see their video)?