Comments on: The five pillars of a debt-free news organization http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/ Newspapers, their websites, and their future Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:53:15 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Steve http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Steve Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:04:50 +0000 http://burden.ca/blog/?p=249#comment-455 I think it's fair to say profit may not come for awhile. Advertisers still don't want to spend much money on the web just because they're used to spending very little. That's not going to turn around overnight, for sure, but it will have to, because sooner or later because, with traditional media shrinking, professional journalists will increasingly have nowhere to turn but the internet, which means enterprising internet publishers will have to find a way to pay them. It's an uphill climb with advertisers simply because they're used to paying low ad rates for the web. That will change but it'll be like pulling teeth for awhile. I think innovation is part of what will attract money. Not just putting a would-be paper magazine on the web, but finding and promoting the medium's advantages, such as instantaneous communication and the ability to maintain a wide range of contacts, the ability to lay out a story as geography rather than sequence, the ability to link all over the place. The geo-locating ability of mobile is increasingly a part of the internet-web experience. How can online news move into niches which mainstream news is retreating from, like local news? We need to be able to sell a service that handles what other services currently don't. Very likely lean times are ahead, but it's also a time to try and fail. And learn. And maybe do stuff first. I think things will turn around faster than anyone imagined. By the way, the home office - I pay for and maintain a home office. I invest in it, I spending earnings on better gear, which in turn earns me money as I become ever more viable and efficient. And I try my damndest to work here instead of anywhere else. If that means out of necessity becoming a media organization that's what I'll have to do, because at this point I can't see liking some random cubicle better than where I'm sitting right now. I think it’s fair to say profit may not come for awhile.

Advertisers still don’t want to spend much money on the web just because they’re used to spending very little.

That’s not going to turn around overnight, for sure, but it will have to, because sooner or later because, with traditional media shrinking, professional journalists will increasingly have nowhere to turn but the internet, which means enterprising internet publishers will have to find a way to pay them.

It’s an uphill climb with advertisers simply because they’re used to paying low ad rates for the web. That will change but it’ll be like pulling teeth for awhile.

I think innovation is part of what will attract money. Not just putting a would-be paper magazine on the web, but finding and promoting the medium’s advantages, such as instantaneous communication and the ability to maintain a wide range of contacts, the ability to lay out a story as geography rather than sequence, the ability to link all over the place.

The geo-locating ability of mobile is increasingly a part of the internet-web experience.

How can online news move into niches which mainstream news is retreating from, like local news?

We need to be able to sell a service that handles what other services currently don’t.

Very likely lean times are ahead, but it’s also a time to try and fail. And learn. And maybe do stuff first. I think things will turn around faster than anyone imagined.

By the way, the home office – I pay for and maintain a home office. I invest in it, I spending earnings on better gear, which in turn earns me money as I become ever more viable and efficient.

And I try my damndest to work here instead of anywhere else.

If that means out of necessity becoming a media organization that’s what I’ll have to do, because at this point I can’t see liking some random cubicle better than where I’m sitting right now.

]]> By: Mr. Baker http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/comment-page-1/#comment-453 Mr. Baker Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:43:52 +0000 http://burden.ca/blog/?p=249#comment-453 I have basically been doing this with the http://americansoccernews.net Web site for close to two years, without results. We aren't only not turning any profit, we don't even have any income! Everybody who works for the site contributes for free. In exchange they get to go to games for free and sit in the press box and interview their heroes. But it's still quite a commitment. Tried the commission-only sales thing briefly but what happened is the sales guys dropped off the face of the earth without closing any deals. I don't want somebody I don't know or trust (and don't pay) representing the company. Now trying the "tip jar" route after removing all ads (wasn't worth it). Nothing. Luckily everybody who is involved with the site is doing it because they are passionate about the sport and not because they want to get rich (or even get reimbursed for their troubles). Which is fine as long as we keep that in mind. Some time somebody somewhere will figure out how to make money on print content. Until then we'll just keep doing our thing. That said, if anybody wants to help out with copyediting the site give me a shout! :) I have basically been doing this with the http://americansoccernews.net Web site for close to two years, without results. We aren’t only not turning any profit, we don’t even have any income! Everybody who works for the site contributes for free. In exchange they get to go to games for free and sit in the press box and interview their heroes. But it’s still quite a commitment. Tried the commission-only sales thing briefly but what happened is the sales guys dropped off the face of the earth without closing any deals. I don’t want somebody I don’t know or trust (and don’t pay) representing the company.

Now trying the “tip jar” route after removing all ads (wasn’t worth it). Nothing. Luckily everybody who is involved with the site is doing it because they are passionate about the sport and not because they want to get rich (or even get reimbursed for their troubles). Which is fine as long as we keep that in mind. Some time somebody somewhere will figure out how to make money on print content. Until then we’ll just keep doing our thing.

That said, if anybody wants to help out with copyediting the site give me a shout! :)

]]> By: Rohan Jayasekera http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/comment-page-1/#comment-451 Rohan Jayasekera Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:26:55 +0000 http://burden.ca/blog/?p=249#comment-451 Yes, it might work, given that so many people are now clutching at straws when it comes to possible income (The Onion has a funny item about this at http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/getting_randomly_picked_to). But I worry that the shares will turn out to be worth little or nothing, as I think it will be difficult for the business to both pay a living wage and turn a profit. The problem is the presence of other online-only competitors who, like you, can draw on a large number of unemployed journalists (and talented amateurs). Eventually the number of journalists and businesses will drop to whatever level the market can sustain, but I think that will take a bunch of years, not one year. Yes, it might work, given that so many people are now clutching at straws when it comes to possible income (The Onion has a funny item about this at http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/getting_randomly_picked_to). But I worry that the shares will turn out to be worth little or nothing, as I think it will be difficult for the business to both pay a living wage and turn a profit. The problem is the presence of other online-only competitors who, like you, can draw on a large number of unemployed journalists (and talented amateurs). Eventually the number of journalists and businesses will drop to whatever level the market can sustain, but I think that will take a bunch of years, not one year.

]]> By: Tim http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/comment-page-1/#comment-449 Tim Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:02:13 +0000 http://burden.ca/blog/?p=249#comment-449 @Marc: Short answer (to all of those questions): no. @Marc: Short answer (to all of those questions): no.

]]> By: Marc http://burden.ca/blog/2009/03/the-five-pillars-of-a-debt-free-news-organization/comment-page-1/#comment-448 Marc Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:59:51 +0000 http://burden.ca/blog/?p=249#comment-448 -- Everyone can work from home, on their own phones and computers. Oh, and you will buy these? You will de-virus them? Fix them when they break, replace them when lost... or stolen? You will provide support for their DSL/cable? What if someone falls at home? Will you be insured? There are costs involved with "work at home". They may not be as high as maintaining an office, but they are there. – Everyone can work from home, on their own phones and computers.

Oh, and you will buy these? You will de-virus them? Fix them when they break, replace them when lost… or stolen? You will provide support for their DSL/cable?

What if someone falls at home? Will you be insured?

There are costs involved with “work at home”. They may not be as high as maintaining an office, but they are there.

]]>