Five metro dailies see big readership drops

To find out which five U.S. daily newspapers made this month's Scooping the News endangered newspapers list, listen to the first episode of our monthly podcast, The STN Monthly Examiner.

The STN Monthly Examiner -- June 30, 2009

The STN Monthly Examiner

Also, if you haven't already done so, start following Scooping the News on Twitter.

Which daily newspapers performed well on the weekly Web site innovation report card?

Note: Each week, Scooping the News selects five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites and evaluates how well they are performing in three of these five areas used to define innovation. Newspapers with a minimum daily print circulation of 100,000 receive scores. This weekly report card shows who is innovating and who isn't. Innovative newspapers attract online readers.

Scooping the News evaluated the following five newspaper Web sites on their design/navigation, reader presence and evidence of continuous updates. Each newspaper received a score ranging from 1 to 4 based on changes in its Web site from five years ago to present (1 = no change, 2 = limited innovation, 3 = good innovation and 4 = significant innovation). The total of these scores provides an innovation composite score.

1. The Denver Post: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

2. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 9.

3. The Salt Lake Tribune: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 8.

4. The Birmingham News: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 8.

5. The Seattle Times: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 1; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 8.

To review the five newspapers evaluated last Monday, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 15, click here.

Which daily newspapers are the most stable?

PREVIEW: New No. 1 in June power rankings

Note: The daily newspaper power rankings appear the last Friday of each month, but we're giving you a little taste of what you can expect Friday from Scooping the News.

There will be a new No. 1 daily newspaper in the power rankings this Friday, as The Wall Street Journal drops from its place at the top down to No. 3. Scooping the News' monthly power rankings for U.S. daily newspapers provide a composite score that takes into account a newspaper's total print and online circulation figures and that newspaper's growth or lack of growth in both areas. A newspaper's composite score reflects both stability in terms of readership base and whether there is growth or a decline in that readership base.

Print circulation figures come from the Audit Bureau of Circulations and online readership figures are reported by Nielsen Online. Scooping the News' formula for calculating a newspaper's composite score is (online readers in millions multiplied by .1) + (percent change in online readers from one year ago divided by 100) + (print readers in millions multiplied by .1) + (percent change in print readers from one year ago divided by 100).

Newspapers are then ranked according to their composite score. The higher the composite score, the higher the newspaper's power ranking. If one newspaper is ranked above another one, the one ranked higher possesses more stable readership and better growth patterns. In essence, the monthly Scooping the News power rankings will reflect which U.S. daily newspapers are performing the best in attracting and keeping both print and online readers.

For the May power rankings, click here. The June power rankings will appear first on YouTube this Friday and then on this blog next week. Click here to watch the video for the May rankings.

Which daily newspapers performed well on the weekly Web site innovation report card?

Note: Each week, Scooping the News selects five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites and evaluates how well they are performing in three of these five areas used to define innovation. Newspapers with a minimum daily print circulation of 100,000 receive scores. This weekly report card shows who is innovating and who isn't. Innovative newspapers attract online readers.

Scooping the News evaluated the following five newspaper Web sites on their design/navigation, reader presence and evidence of continuous updates. Each newspaper received a score ranging from 1 to 4 based on changes in its Web site from five years ago to present (1 = no change, 2 = limited innovation, 3 = good innovation and 4 = significant innovation). The total of those scores provides an innovation composite score.

1. The Baltimore Sun: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 12.

2. The Commercial Appeal: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 8.

3. Fresno Bee: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 8.

4. Houston Chronicle: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

5. The Oregonian: This is what the Web sites looks like today; and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 1; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 8.

To review the five newspapers evaluated last Monday, click here.

Newspapers must learn what Web consumers want

When The Baltimore Sun unveiled the new version of its Web site this week, the new layout and features showcased how newspapers are starting to envision a new way of presenting content in an interesting and user friendly manner similar to what's found on highly successful online news sources such as msnbc and CNN. One only needs to see what The Baltimore Sun looked like five years ago to notice the progress.

However; newspapers cannot stop with simply a new Web site design, and they must learn to become more than just electronic copies of their print content with a few blogs and story updates. Readers demand more from online news sources than blogs. Readers want content covering a wide variety of stories with several components to the coverage such as audio, video and the traditional story.

This man (being interviewed by Beet.TV) knows what the modern online news consumer demands from a source. Have newspaper executives figured this out yet?

Talking Points Memo knows a quick way to provide consumers with the world news of the day. If this Web site can do this, why can't newspapers?

Five ways sources try to trick newspaper reporters

Veteran newspaper reporters know that sources will sometimes claim they've been misquoted, taken out of context or treated unfairly in stories. Sources will also try to pay for favorable coverage or manipulate reporters to serve their own interests. Rookie reporters may just be learning these lessons for the first time. Remembering these lessons can serve reporters well.

The following observations were made during the course of working for four years at a college student newspaper in Ohio, serving as an intern at two weekly newspapers and working three years as a full-time reporter in Georgetown, Ky. Not all sources use these questionable tactics in dealing with reporters. Some do, though, and reporters must not fall victim to these tricks.

1. Some sources will try to place bumper stickers on your car. At a Republican Party fund-raising dinner in 2002 in Georgetown, Ky., representatives of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell approached people as they walked into the reception hall. These representatives would ask whether people wanted McConnell bumper stickers. The catch: In order to get a bumper sticker, you had to let the representative place it on your car. Needless to say, it is not acceptable for any journalists to place bumper stickers advertising political candidates on their cars.

2. Some sources will try to purchase meals for you in exchange for your vote. During a city council campaign in 2003, a candidate agreed to an interview at a restaurant. Interviews often occur during lunch and dinner meetings at restaurants. In this case, the candidate offered to pay the reporter's lunch bill, as long as the reporter promised to vote for that candidate. The reporter declined the candidate's offer and did not promise to vote for the candidate. It is unacceptable for sources to pay for reporters' meals, and it is illegal for candidates to pay for votes or to attempt to pay for votes.

3. Some sources will always complain that you've misquoted them in stories. During the course of three years spent covering one police department, a police chief always complained that he was misquoted in stories about city commission meetings. The police chief often disagreed with city commissioners and often received complaints about his tactics from city residents. The police chief did not want such disagreements and complaints being printed. His complaints about being misquoted stopped when all meetings started being tape recorded.

4. Some sources will try to purchase you drinks in return for favorable stories. A popular rock band in Athens, Ohio, switched lead singers in early 2001. Prior to switching singers, they were actually being courted by major record labels. Their new singer could not match the vocal range of the prior one, and their first gig with a new frontman bombed. Prior to that gig, the new frontman attempted to purchase beers for a reporter in exchange for favorable coverage. The drink offer was turned down and the singer wasn't happy with the resulting story.

5. Some sources will try to manipulate you into writing stories that advance their agenda. During the summer of 2000, two men started an independent record label in Tennessee. Not only was it important for stories about the label to stay away from being a free advertisement, but it was important to realize that these two men didn't always see eye to eye on business matters. Despite the sources' best efforts to engage in a war of words via quotes given to a reporter, the resulting stories did nothing to help advance their personal agendas.

Five statements newspaper editors shouldn't make

Newspaper editors often dictate which stories reporters cover and what kind of treatment issues are given. Newspaper editors may suggest sources and angles reporters should consider. Newpaper editors may encourage brainstorming sessions where reporters generate their own story ideas. All of these facts about newspaper editors are well known to anyone in the industry.

However; newspaper editors also routinely make statements that go against all the "fair, balanced reporting" lessons that journalism students learn, and it's important for both people inside and outside of the industry to think about the following examples. What kind of message are these statements sending to young journalists who will lead newspapers in the digital age?

The following statements were heard in newsrooms in Kentucky and Tennessee, and some Scooping the News readers might have heard these sentiments expressed at their newspapers. When it comes to deciding which stories to cover, how to write them and who to interview, should newspaper editors ever make these statements? No. Share your experiences with us.

1. We want the police chief to talk to the newspaper. So, you need to eat at his restaurant. It's a fact that some sources beat reporters rely on will not like the newspaper or the reporter. That's not important. It's been said in journalism that if everyone likes you, then you're not doing your job. A source's approval of a story, reporter or newspaper is not necessary and is not at all important. Cultivating sources is important. Giving money to a source's side business just to get that source to talk with you is wrong. Editors should never order this. The end of this story is that the chief started granting more interviews, but could never be reached for stories that in any way appeared critical of the police department.

2. We should do a positive story on the college president because he's influential. Just because a particular source is an influential member of a community, why does that warrant a story? It doesn't. If the source is part of a newsworthy story, then the source is someone you would interview. The bigger problem with this statement is that the newspaper's editor instructed the reporter on what kind of angle to take with the story, and that angle completetely threw "fair, balance reporting" out the window. Why not hold powerful figures accountable with in-depth stories that explore and investigate their job performance? If a source possesses a track record filled with great accomplishments, then the story will be positive on its own.

3. We should do stories on an ongoing story when there is no news because the story sells papers. Ongoing coverage is an important part of journalism and all newspaper Web sites should strive to provide continuous updates on developing stories. That being said, when there really isn't any new news to report, how advantageous is it to produce a story that only recaps prior coverage of an event? If your primary motive for running an update with no news is because you can place the story above the fold with a big headline that will get readers to purchase the newspaper, then you are getting so desperate to boost print revenue that you're trying to trick readers into spending their money for nothing new.

4. We can't question one of the city's proposed projects because the newspaper's owner supports it. It's a sad state of affairs when newspapers cannot hold the government accountable for how money is spent because newspaper owners support proposed projects that would cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Sometimes newspapers completely forget why they became important in the first place -- to inform readers and to hold the government accountable. Newspaper owners should never become so supportive of government leaders' initiatives and proposals that it becomes forbidden for reporters to write stories that in any way question those initiatives and proposals. Readers deserve fair and balanced reporting.

5. We will continue to photograph twisted metal even though our readers don't like it. When newspapers started noticing major declines in their print revenue, many of them began conducting reader surveys in an effort to determine what consumers wanted and what they didn't want from newspapers. The problem is that not all newspapers really considered readers' preferences and instead continued to maintain the status quo. Now these same newspapers are laying off staff, reducing the size of their product and even cutting back the number of days they publish a print edition. If readers say they don't want to see pictures of "twisted metal" (aka car wrecks), then maybe you shouldn't print them.

Which daily newspapers are the most innovative?

Editor's Note: Each week, Scooping the News will select five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites and evaluate how well they are performing in three of these five areas used to define innovation. Newspapers with a minimum daily print circulation of 100,000 will receive scores. This will show who is innovating and who isn't. Innovative newspapers attract online readers.

Scooping the News evaluated the following five newspaper Web sites on their design/navigation, reader presence and evidence of continuous updates. Each newspaper received a score ranging from 1 to 4 based on changes in their Web sites from five years ago to present (1 = no change, 2 = limited innovation, 3 = good innovation and 4 = significant innovation). The total of those scores provides an innovation composite score.

1. Lexington Herald-Leader: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 7.

2. Knoxville News Sentinel: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

3. The Miami Herald: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

4. Los Angeles Times: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 7.

5. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: This is what the Web site looks like today, and this is what it looked like five years ago. Area scores: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 6.

Which newspaper sites are the most innovative?

Scooping the News will begin a new weekly feature starting Monday where we grade U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites in five areas used to measure innovation. Newspapers with a minimum print circulation of 100,000 will receive scores. This new feature will show which newspapers are leading the way in the online arena and which ones are lagging behind.

STN Follower of the Month -- Scott Faldon

Editor's Note: Scooping the News features one of our followers every month. The only requirement is that the individual must be a follower of Scooping the News. Click here to become one.

This month's follower would be willing to pay access fees for some online content, and he would even up the amount he's willing to pay for ad-free pages!

Follower of the Month: Scott Faldon
Occupation: Sports editor
Blog/Web Site: www.swtimes.com

Why I would or wouldn't be willing to pay online newspaper access fees: I honestly don't know. The journalist in me screams "Yes, of course!" The part of me that balances the checkbook, however, asks, "How much and what do I get for the money?" That's the balancing act newspapers have to perfect if we want to charge for online content. Being in fly-over country, I'd be willing to pay for online access to some of the big nationals since I can't get them off the rack. But I don't know if our local readers would be willing to pay for coverage of city board meetings and high school football games. As with most media questions, I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer. Also, if I'm going to be charged for online access, I'd be willing to pay extra for ad-free pages.

Favorite non-newspaper online news source:

How about a top five? In no particular order ...

1. CNN.com - Automatic go-to site when breaking news happens.
2. news.bbc.co.uk - I like the overseas perspective of world events.

3. Deadspin - It's juvenile, snarky, vicious. It invariably makes me laugh and provides links to stories I haven't seen.

4. Fark.com - Like Deadspin, it always tips me to stories I'd have otherwise missed.

5. mondesishouse.blogspot.com - Essential Steelers, Penguins and Pirates information and humor.

Three celebrities I would most like to interview: Charles Pierce, Chris Jones, AJ Jacobs - They aren't celebrities, unless you're an Esquire subscriber. But I'd rather discuss writing with them than ask Jon & Kate if they're getting divorced or staging everything for ratings. I think those three are some of the best writers currently working. I have yet to read anything by them that I haven't enjoyed and that hasn't made me think "Geez, this guy is damn good." Plus, I think I could get one of them buy a few rounds. If forced to choose actual celebrities, I'd probably go with Jimmy Buffett, Harrison Ford and Tom Brokaw. The interviews would take place while standing in knee-deep water while casting dry flies at whatever fish are available.

Favorite Web site (other than Scooping the News): SportsJournalists.com - The regulars will be upset I've mentioned the place as they seem to hate publicity. It is a rough-and-tumble message board that somehow manages to be the closest thing to a newspaperman's bar that you'll find on the Web. I know a lot of people hate the site, but it's helped me become a better SE. I've made friends with people across the nation I'd have never met at the APSE convention. They've given me advice on a multitude of issues as I've learned to be the boss. Writer's Workshop and the page design threads are excellent. When I've had openings, I've gotten more responses via the SJ jobs board than through sites where I paid for ads.

The lead in a story about me: Scott Faldon will cringe when reading this, because it's about him. (Geez, can I get a rewrite?)

Thanks, Scott! We're happy with your choice of celebrities. If you're ever lucky enough to interview Tom Brokaw, can you have him contact Scooping the News?

VIDEO: Times Co. to request bids for Boston Globe

USA Today's paid e-edition to launch in August; Scooping the News predicted move in May

USA Today Publisher David Hunke announced today that the national newspaper will begin offering a paid electronic edition Aug. 3, reports Jennifer Saba of Editor & Publisher. Few details concerning this paid digital product exist at present. To read Saba's story about USA Today's big announcement, click here.

This announcement today in New York means one of Scooping the News' five predictions for the newspaper industry in 2009 is coming true. Last month, we predicted USA Today "would either charge customers for access to some areas of its Web site or have a plan in place to start doing so in 2010." Hunke first hinted at such a move in this article.

At the time Scooping the News issued our bold predictions for the industry this year, we received e-mails that expressed doubt over whether any of the predictions would come true. While the jury is still out on four of the five predictions, today's news confirms at least one of them is coming true.

One last note for today: If you haven't already checked out this great meeting place for journalists and people interested in journalism, you should visit The E&P Pub. The Web site, launched in September 2008, provides industry news, videos, commentaries and discussion questions. It is somewhat similar to the news cafe idea we discussed in February.

Find out which daily newspapers are losing readers

Scooping the News measures the print and online readership stability of U.S. daily newspapers in our power rankings released the fourth Friday of every month. We also release a list of the five newspapers that ranked the lowest of all U.S. daily newspapers with circulations of at least 250,000. Starting June 30, you will need to go here first to find out which five newspapers ranked the lowest.

The STN Monthly Examiner, Scooping the News' podcast, will premiere June 30 and on the last weekday of every month thereafter. Host Jeanne M. Hartman will announce the five newspapers that ranked the lowest with details concerning each newspaper's stability. Scooping the News predicts that one of the five newspapers will be the next major U.S. metro daily to shut down or go online only.

Also, starting this month the monthly power rankings top 10 will be released first on YouTube. The first episode of Scooping the News on YouTube premiered May 29 and episode two will be released June 26. The day before that second episode is released, you can get a preview of the latest monthly power rankings here at www.scoopingthenews.com.

We are excited to announce the upcoming premiere of The STN Monthly Examiner, and we would like to thank you for reading Scooping the News. Weekday readership jumped 88 percent in May compared to the previous month. In fact, more people read Scooping the News last month than ever before. To learn about all the latest newspaper industry developments, follow us on Twitter.

Craigslist founder on his impact on newspapers

We found this video on Fitz & Jen, an outstanding blog about the business side of the newspaper industry. Editor & Publisher's Editor-at-Large Mark Fitzgerald and Associate Editor Jennifer Saba do a great job exploring an area with a tremendous impact on the future of newspapers. Andy Plesser, founder and CEO of Beet.TV, conducted the interview shown in the video above last Wednesday.

Five daily newspapers lose print and Web readers

Today we examine five metro daily newspapers featured in our first YouTube episode as publications lacking stable readership both online and in print. All five of these newspapers are losing print readers and seeing drops in online readership. The five newspapers are the San Francisco Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Dallas Morning News, The Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Chicago Sun-Times.

What follows are brief recaps of recent industry news involving these five newspapers that are performing poorly according to our monthly power rankings system. Scooping the News is not saying all five newspapers will shut down or go online only. Instead, we are predicting that one of these five newspapers will become the nation's next big metro daily to close or move to an online-only format.

1. San Francisco Chronicle (a Hearst newspaper) -- Hearst is in the process of trying to figure out whether online access fees can save the newspaper. This comes after an announcement by Hearst that the newspaper may close or be sold unless it can cut expenses. Earlier this year, stories appeared about this newspaper maybe going the non-profit route. That fad is over.

2. The Philadelphia Inquirer (a Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC publication) -- Much like the big three automakers in Detroit operated up until recently, this newspaper is giving its executives big-time bonuses and wondering why it's experiencing such massive financial problems. This newspaper's owner spent part of this year in bankruptcy court.

3. Dallas Morning News (an A.H. Belo newspaper) -- This newspaper's owner is laying off employees and cutting the salaries of those that remain. Former Dallas Morning News reporters are now applying for jobs at weeklies, which is opposite from the path many journalists used to take in their newspaper careers. Weeklies used to see their reporters leave for jobs at dailies.

4. The Atlanta Journal Constitution (a Cox Newspapers, Inc. publication) -- This newspaper announced earlier this spring that its cutting 30 percent of its full-time news staff and ending distribution to at least seven counties. This newspaper recently kicked off a new marketing campaign that says its superior to local media. How will this increase readers and revenue?

5. Chicago Sun-Times (a Sun-Times Media Group newspaper) -- This newspaper's owner is also in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Newspaper employees are seeing their wages cut and participating in unpaid furlough days. The bottom line is this newspaper is losing readers and advertising dollars to other online news sources.

The best newspaper Web sites' five common traits

Five traits define the best daily newspaper Web sites. When the five traits discussed below are present on newspaper Web sites, readership numbers increase by substantial amounts. With the end of print as the primary format for newspapers arriving soon, publications wishing to survive must present an innovative product online that incorporates both in-depth content and several opportunities for readers to participate in the news gathering and discussion process.

Many newspaper editors and reporters follow Scooping the News on Twitter. We hope they incorporate the five traits discussed below, if they're not already doing so, on their Web sites. The newspapers performing the best in our monthly power rankings, which measure readership stability and growth, incorporate these five key traits. Scooping the News previously commented on five ways newspaper Web sites must change. Now we show how to make those changes.

1. Newspaper Web sites must be easy to navigate. If readers cannot easily identify and locate the stories and features that interest them, they will spend little time on the Web site and will seek out other online news sources. The Web sites of two daily newspapers -- USA Today and Miami Herald -- demonstrate how a good presentation improves the overall product.

2. Newspaper Web sites must have easily accessible archives. First, newspapers must give their archives a prominent location on their main page. Second, newspapers must provide user friendly search options that enable readers to track down the stories and information they need and want. The Washington Post and The New York Times excel in this area.

3. Newspaper Web sites must have a strong reader presence. The Internet gives the public the ability to join conversations. Readers are no longer limited to letters to the editor. They can participate in discussions taking place online. While the Lexington Herald-Leader needs a new design for its Web site, at least the newspaper gave a reader his own blog.

4. Newspaper Web sites must have in-depth reporting. Although presentation is a key part of how well newspaper Web sites perform in terms of attracting and keeping readers, providing content that showcases in-depth reporting and strong writing is just as important. The Wall Street Journal does exactly this, and people are willing to pay for access to its site.

5. Newspaper Web sites must cover the news around the clock. Breaking news is a key element of any newspaper Web site that even hopes to compete with the top online news sources such as msnbc and CNN.com. Breaking news must be visible near the top of the site's main page and such stories must be regularly updated. Readers expect the latest news immediately.

Coming Thursday and Friday on Scooping the News

First, we'll have "Great newspaper Web sites' five traits" on Thursday, which will establish the standards all newspapers should adopt as they move closer to an online-only format. Then, we'll have an in-depth analysis of the five metro dailies we consider on the brink of shutting down or going online only next in our Friday edition. To learn more about those five newspapers, click here.

What is Scooping the News? Find out right now.