Sound Politics: Changes at the <em>Times</em> mean little

December 08, 2008

Changes at the Times mean little

Seattle Times Executive Editor David Boardman explains the "big changes" occurring the the dead-tree version of the paper. That's nice.

But, virtually the only growth opportunity in the business of journalism today is in online advertising. The business model of the traditional daily paper relying on print advertising has long since reached the point of death spiral.

Thus, until the Times changes the way it does business online it's still a doomed entity - no matter how long Frank Blethen stubbornly holds on to a money losing enterprise.

The Times currently is more apt to push dead tree content, or slightly modified version of it, onto its website than to provide online readers with unique and interactive material in visits to the site. What little blogging that actually occurs at the site is either too infrequent or not actually well done (the now departed David Postman, Mariners beat writer Geoff Baker, and Olympics Insider Ron Judd being among the few notable exceptions).

It gives me little joy to say this, but on the whole, the P-I is beating the stuffing out of the Times online. Again, funny thing what interactive, unique (and timely!) content will do to drive web traffic.

Ultimately I'm not convinced the Times even gets it. Multiple conversations with a range of individuals in assorted departments there leads me to believe the institution itself has no current capacity to understand and implement a strategy to succeed in the modern, online world of media. Too many people are stuck in the world they learned about in journalism school or in years of newspaper service gone by.

Maybe when their print edition shrinks all the way down to one, eight page section they might finally start to figure things out.

Posted by Eric Earling at December 08, 2008 08:38 AM | Email This

Comments

1. Craigslist. Giving the old media the death knell they deserve for decades of lazy reporting.

Posted by: Palouse on December 8, 2008 09:10 AM

2. "It gives me little joy to say this, but on the whole, the P-I is beating the stuffing out of the Times online"

So, Pravda is beating hell out of Pravda Light? In Seattle?

Who'da thunk it? But more importantly, who cares?

Posted by: Hinton on December 8, 2008 10:49 AM

3. Does this mean that the Seattle Times didn't offer you a job? Well you might try the PI, the Tacoma News Tribune, the Stranger, Don Ward works for the Weekly, so they won't hire you. One SP escapee is probably enough. Hey, how about the Everett Herald, after all you are a home town boy. I hear Goldy is hiring for short term projects, like Feit did.

Posted by: friendoflittlerickydumbass on December 8, 2008 10:59 AM

4. I think that you are right. The Times doesn't get it. In addition I believe that the P.I. has been doing a marginally better job lately but so marginally I'm not sure if it is a mistake or some sort of plan.

Conventional wisdom is that the digital versions should be able to do better but I'm not sure of that. Bad reporting is bad reporting no matter what medium it is in and that is why I originally stopped reading the Times . . . negligent reporting.

Strangely (or not I guess) I can get a better idea what is happening here in the U.S. by reading online papers in the UK and Canada and I do (in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal).

Essentially it is the reporting that makes or breaks a paper and it is breaking liberal papers. In order to parrot and push the liberal orthodoxy so much needs to be ignored or erroneously reported. The lack if information (once realized) either drives people away (as in my case) or not care as it has all been heard before.

I would love for the Times to stay in business but if they can't see, they can't see. I have clients like that right now. As sales slowly sink they cling to ideas and ways of doing things that make sales decline further ignoring strategies that hold promise because they don't understand or trust them. Eventually there comes a point where a business just doesn't have the resources left to fight back, even if they've somehow seen the light. But by then it's to late.

I hope the Times never gets that far. Really.

Posted by: G Jiggy on December 8, 2008 11:54 AM

5. "Would the day-old pumpkin pie be pushed into my face by a Republican furious that our editorial page had endorsed Obama for president, or a Democrat livid that that page had supported Rossi for governor?" ~ David Boardman

More likely the latter than the former 7 days a week and twice on Sunday Mr.Boardman. Just ask any of the conservative commentators who've been asked to speak on college campuses only to have pies thrown at them by the infants on the left who want to suppress others' free speech. The difference between the left and the right is maturity level,or lack thereof as evidenced by Goldy's HA sock puppet @ 3.

Posted by: Rick D. on December 8, 2008 12:17 PM

6. I would like to single out Nancy Leson, the food writer of The Seattle Times, as a good blogger. According to Boardman, they'll only print excerpts from her blog in the print edtion. Those who want to follow Leson will have to read her blog.

Posted by: Luigi Giovanni on December 8, 2008 03:43 PM

7. Not sure what friendoflittlerickydumbass means by saying the Weekly hired Don Ward so they won't hire Eric but the fact that the Weekly would hire Ward shows just what an infantile publication they are. Don Ward is one of the most infantile people I've ever come across. To say he has an overinflated ego would be an understatement. His maturity level is seriously lacking and he so dense as to what the world around him believes it's a wonder he's a conservative. Must be blind squirrel luck.

Posted by: Ward of the State on December 8, 2008 03:59 PM

8. Bob Condotta does a nice job with the Huskies blog. His by-the-minute updates of the coaching change were very good.

Posted by: FarFarRight on December 8, 2008 04:02 PM

9. I have to say I think Mike Lindblom does a very good job covering transportation issues for the Times. One time I wrote him in a huff. He had described the car tab tax as bed on 'vehicle value' (per the DOL). The tax was based only loosely on value, and appeared to be rigged to overcharge taxpayers. I think they have changed it somewhat since then.

He actually called me and encouraged me to submit my points as a letter to the editor, and defended his objectivity (I had accused him of being in bed with ST, SMP, etc).

Ever since then I have read his stuff pretty closely and changed my opinion of him.

Posted by: russell garrard on December 8, 2008 07:22 PM

10. Humm, here is their business plan:
1. Raise news stand rates 50%
2. Reduce content
3. Lower the number of pages per issue.
Even the Detroit automakers aren't that stupid.

Posted by: Walters on December 8, 2008 07:48 PM

11. Yes, the ego of this hicktown reporter is a sight to behold. It's always good to have fans, particularly those who bravely cast aside the veil of online anonymity and use their real names. Why don't you grow a couple and introduce yourself to me next time #7?

Back on topic... ahem.

As for the problem at the Times (and P-I) count the number of staff written articles in any print edition during a day and week. Divide that by the number of news staff being paid.

Coming from a community news background where writers are expected to put out between five and ten news stories a week, how few stories our daily brethren actually produce is shocking (and the subject of more than one joke).

Posted by: Don Ward on December 8, 2008 08:19 PM

12. People still read the times? wow..........

aside from starting fires in the old firepit(doing my part to enhance globull worming), I cant think of a single use for the rag...

up the irons.....

Posted by: Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa on December 8, 2008 08:50 PM

13. I started noticing the creeping uneven ratio of letters to editor--lib to conserv;
then more pics & less meat in all sections;
then more expanded soft sections;
then no more thoughtful letters altogether;
lots of fluff; no meat; no investigative writers with moxy hounding local politicians;
R.I.P.
a local Govt party unofficial cheerleader;
fair & balanced my arse; too bad; detached from the common folk;
you had potential;
buggy whip--move over !

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on December 8, 2008 10:51 PM

14. Gee, Don, you have a groupie. Congrats on making the big time!!

Posted by: swatter on December 9, 2008 07:35 AM

15. Viscount:
I too use the Times to help release sequestered carbon. Wrapping fish and lining bird cages are also good uses for the Times. The P.I. is generally so poor a paper that I don't even us it for either of these. Although it burns every bit as good as the Times when the need arises.

Posted by: G Jiggy on December 9, 2008 10:20 AM

16. Mean little? Mean little? Where's Miss Manners?

Posted by: Bleepless on December 9, 2008 06:40 PM