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op editors say ‘print remains vital’

By Victoria Gaitskell tInitially, I had reservations about covering a sold-out October panel discussion called Gutenberg’s Last Stand: Reinventing the Modern Newspaper for a magazine that covers the printing industry. Not only the panel’s sensationalist title but also a string of current events seemed to be conspiring against the prospect of a healthy future for the printed newspaper.

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Among the panelists, Lou Clancy, Vice President of Editorial and Editor-in-chief at Postmedia News; John Stackhouse, The Globe and Mail, Editor-in-chief; and panel moderator Scott White, Editor-in-chief of The Canadian Press

Photos: Paul Terefenko / The Canadian Journalism Foundation

For years, printers have been facing similar pointed out several directions in which news Monetizing text and the rise of pay-walls challenges to those of modern in content producers – like printers – need to think Stackhouse says that, although The Globe tried declining demand for print and growing demand differently and take calculated risks to transform unsuccessfully to charge for online content several for content delivery via other media. On October and expand their businesses. years ago, the time is right to proceed now be- 18, the same day on which the Canadian Journal- cause of three critical trends: Changes in technol- ism Foundation (CJF) scheduled the panel, Nobody’s last stand ogy to enable the construction of pay-walls, Newsweek, the iconic weekly magazine published White began by pointing out that the panel’s changes in the newspaper industry that have in New York, announced it was switching to a melodramatic title, Gutenberg’s Last Stand, prompted hundreds of newspapers to do it, and digital-only format starting in 2013 after nearly implied a false crisis, since news in today’s society changes in the marketplace resulting in greater 80 years in print. Just three days earlier, John appears on everything from free printed Stackhouse, Editor-in-chief of The Globe and newspapers, to large public television Mail had announced that on October 22 his screens tuned to all-news or all-sports Toronto-based newspaper would join numerous networks, to small screens posted above other major dailies (including the Ottawa Citizen, elevator doors and even public-wash- , , The Wall room urinals. Smartphones and tablets Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles have literally put breaking news in the Times, Britain’s The Telegraph, and the Financial palms of consumers’ hands. “More eye- Times of London) in launching a payment system balls are reading more news stories on for online content. more platforms than at any time before,” So it was with some trepidation that I attended he says. But he adds that a corresponding CJF’s panel discussion to learn the straight facts problem for newspapers is that society on the future of newspapers through a panel now falsely equates pervasiveness with recruited from the royalty of Canadian journalism: the idea that news is a commodity John Stackhouse, mentioned above; Charlotte that anyone can produce simply and Empey, Editor-in-chief of Metro English Canada; inexpensively. Lou Clancy, VP of Editorial and Editor-in-chief Cooke, who spoke last, observes that, of Postmedia News; and Michael Cooke, Editor although 20 years ago there were three of the Toronto Star. Serving as moderator was daily newspapers in Toronto, today there Scott White, Editor-in-chief of English operations are eight, plus an explosion of news at Canada’s national news service, The Canadian Websites. “Digital ideology keeps on Press. repeating that mainstream media don’t Michael Cooke, Editor of the Toronto Star, speaks As their discussion progressed, however, I get it digitally and can’t adapt to new ways of about the challenges to print media of the past became increasingly relieved and optimistic, since producing news. Google and Yahoo and the rest decade this distinguished panel confirmed repeatedly are basically engineering companies, and they do that print journalism is alive and well. They also that very well, but they don’t do news. The truth consumer willingness to pay for information is our reporters do their news for them, of value online. Now IT and customer service and our method of producing digital have become the biggest challenges for anyone content is simply by combining old- implementing a pay-wall, he says. fashioned reporting with digital tools.” Cooke contributes two more reasons why so Neither did Cooke view the current many newspapers are establishing pay-walls now: state of flux of newspapers as merely the One is the relatively recent development of Web- result of pressure to go digital: “The 2008 site metering technologies that enable newspapers financial crisis has beaten us up financially to charge different readers different amounts for as much as any structural changes we’re different types of content. The second is the dealing with. News in general lost 50 per- downward pressure on CPMs (cost per thousand cent of advertising revenues in the last impressions) for advertisers online. eight to 10 years. The reason we’re not out Stackhouse also points out that custom content of business is that our profit margins are is the only significant revenue growth area in a lot historically high.” of newspaper companies. “The special sauce we Stackhouse agrees: “There’s no crisis in are offering includes exclusive content for busi- journalism. Society is hungrier for more ness leaders and special advertising offers. People and better information than ever before. want more than journalism. They want access to We just need to wake up and figure out information that matters to them plus a great user how to monetize it and take advantage of experience. People are overwhelmed with infor- the enormous demand.” mation today. They’re willing to pay a good chunk Charlotte Empey, Editor-in-chief at Metro English Canada, presents the different strengths of today’s media streams NOVEMBER 2012 • PRINTACTION • 17 PrintAction 11-2012_PrintAction 12-10-30 6:10 AM Page 18

Ipsos Reid in October conducted a poll, on behalf of The Canadian Journalism Foundation, Where do you get your daily news? to discover which media sources people rely on most for their daily news fill.

41% http://www. Newspaper SocialMedia Websites Online 35% Social Media Sites 14% 10% Twitter Dedicated 36% News Services 30% TV News (Reuters or News Aggregators Websites Bloomberg) (Google News)

of money if you can provide them with “I’m sure we will not be able to turn off with it,” Cooke continues. He cites three ciency is that the Toronto Star has merged any help to cope with that.” print and go to digital any time soon. such innovations that have occurred re- its home-delivery operations with The There was consensus among panel There is certainly no business case right cently at the Star: One lucrative change is Globe, so that the same company now members that their most significant now for doing it, and I personally don’t that now, with their Sunday subscription, delivers both newspapers, saving them competition came not so much from see one. Print remains vital.” readers can choose to purchase an addi- both millions of dollars. individual publications or platforms, but He explains how the Star has produced tional optional insert consisting of the rather from the more generalized fight a dedicated news Website for 15 years, News and Book Reviews sections of The Lean innovation for the time and attention of audiences but that its parent company has consis- New York Times. A second is that weekly Lou Clancy emphasizes that modern barraged with information from a large tently been unable to make a digital busi- TV listings no longer come free with the newspapers need to find ways to encour- variety of sources. ness case that earns enough money to Saturday paper but can also be purchased age and lead innovation and afford the cover the costs of the newsroom and staff as an optional insert, a move that not skills and tools these innovations require. Print remains vital required to produce the news. only brings in additional revenue from He says the is led by entre- Among the esteemed panel, Cooke “There’s a lot of life left in print, and if 250,000 households but also saves the preneurs who discover ways to get things emerged as the strongest advocate for the we’re smart, we can come up with new cost of printing TV listings that the other done by running small-budget test proj- traditional printed newspaper. He states: and unimagined ideas to make money subscribers don’t want. A third new effi- ects with limited staff. “You’ve got to start up lean, as if your wallet is half empty, not full.” Part of Ipsos Reid’s October poll for the CJF ranked a person’s appetite In Ranked Order for specific news sources from always daily consulted to least consulted. Examples of the Post’s successful projects that started small are Gastropost, a Website and Saturday printed supplement in the 40% Regular newscast on a TV station for either evening or late broadcast for their daily news fill Toronto edition where readers report their successes in accomplishing weekly food 23% Daily newspaper that they would normally pay for or subscribe to for their daily news fill missions. Another is the Chinese-language site taiyangbao.ca using translated Vancou- 19% ver Sun content and bloggers which in eight Community newspapers and magazines for their daily news fill months has attracted 400,000 unique daily visitors and is already profitable. Clancy 17% Television station dedicated to only news or information 24 hours a day for their daily news fill says he feels it is critical for these projects to rely on a start-up mentality and small 14% Free newspaper that people hand out or make available around town for their daily news fill teams to enable optimal learning, then the lessons they learn can be shared across the entire organization. 14% CBC Radio news broadcasts to get their daily news fill Print enhances reader’s experience 13% Daily newspaper websites for their daily news fill Metro, a free daily and one of the few newspapers currently in growth mode, 13% has expanded into 10 different print Social media sites like Facebook for their daily news fill editions published in 10 different cities across Canada, each using common 12% Talk radio stations with regularly scheduled news broadcasts on the half hour national, international, and entertain- ment content plus 30 percent local news. 11% Daily television stations dedicated to only business news and information for their daily news fill This spring, Metro also relaunched its Website which offers 15 different digital 10% editions and mobile apps. Online news sources like TV news websites for their daily news fill “The paper does not drive digital and digital does not drive the paper,” explains 7% News aggregators like 'Google News' for their daily news fill Editor-in-chief Charlotte Empey. “Our digital growth reflects our belief that our 7% 24-hour news-only radio stations audience is looking for a seamless transi- tion from paper to mobile to online, 3% depending on the time of day.” For Magazines like Maclean’s and Time, and their websites for their daily news fill example, they might start the day with Metro online over breakfast to learn what 3% Dedicated news services (Reuters or Bloomberg) for their daily news fill happened overnight and research road conditions and weather. While commut- 3% Popular micro-blogging medium (Twitter) ing to work, they might pick up a printed copy to stay on top of the latest stories or

18 • PRINTACTION • NOVEMBER 2012 PrintAction 11-2012_PrintAction 12-10-30 6:11 AM Page 19 Television & Radio Print 43% 74% CBC Radio 43% News Broadcasts Subscribed or Regular Newscast 54% Paid Magazines on TV 24-Hour News Television 42% Daily Television 60 % 46% Stations 51% Community Talk Radio Free Newspapers and 28% Stations Newspapers Magazines 24-Hour News-only Radio

unexpected news. During the day, they need to know. “We are not pandering to results with demographic information, Moderate newsies are slightly more might consult their smartphones for the the popular as opposed to the important, the poll constructed profiles of Canada’s likely to be male (31 percent versus 28 latest breaking stories or gossip. On the but at the same time we have changed most highly engaged news consumers as percent females), seniors over the age of way home, they might want a lighter con- because our tools have changed. Our follows: 55 (32 percent), in Alberta (36 percent) tent mix with videos, serialized books or newsroom has a big screen that tells us Hyper newsies are twice as likely to be or Ontario (34 percent), and middle class restaurant reviews to help them unwind what is trending on Twitter and Google males (14 percent versus seven percent (55 percent earned between $40,000 and from the day’s stress. at any given moment. If we aren’t cover- females) in Western Canada (18 percent $99,000 annually). “Each medium is valuable because it ing a topic it shows people want to read in Alberta, 15 percent in British Colum- Perhaps profiles like these ones will has specific strengths,” continues Empey. about, we’ll go and get a story. We change bia) or Atlantic Canada (11 percent). assist news producers in devising the “Print allows for rich detail and language the lineup on Thestar.com almost hourly They include twice as many middle-aged kinds of new, enhanced experiences their to paint a vivid picture. Online, because based on what we learn from the variety people and seniors (12 percent each) audiences crave. of infographics, sound, video, and photo of tools available.” He adds that Star as younger consumers (six percent). galleries, a story can become experiential. reporters have discovered they can self- They are also most likely to be university Victoria Gaitskell is keen to exchange ideas All the platforms work in partnership to correct a story before it goes to print by graduates (12 percent), earn high with readers at [email protected]; deliver stories that capitalize on each posting it on a blog, where social media incomes (15 percent earned $100,000+ LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/vicg8; Blog: medium’s strength and enhance the will monitor the content. Cooke also annually) and to be parents (12 percent). vicg8.blogspot.ca; Twitter: twitter.com/vicg8 reader’s experience. notes that since being trained in Search “I don’t know exactly how we’re going Engine Optimization, his newsroom to make money on the edition of the deliberately operates in ways that will future, but if we allow readers to get what “make Google love us.” they want when they want it, give them While taking the new requirements unique, exclusive content, and make our- of reader interaction in stride, all four selves an indispensable part of their day, panelists communicate well-informed they’ll be back every day. Our president optimism about the future of newspapers and sales team will figure out how to and agree that it’s an exciting time of make it work.” creative change for journalists.

Know thy reader Reaffirming print Each panelist agrees that newspapers are A new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid for drastically reforming their relationships CJF, released one day before its Toronto with readers. Stackhouse says that to newspaper symposium, shows that a ma- create great work for today’s market, jority of Canadians still prefer to receive journalists have to learn to work with IT their daily news from traditional outlets. engineers and marketing departments to In descending order of preference, the understand what readers want and when news sources respondents preferred were: they want it. Clancy says: “We no longer Regular evening or late television news- sit in an ivory tower. You have to have casts (40 percent); daily newspapers, open discussion with your readers all the either purchased or by subscription time and make use of psychographics (23 percent); daily community newspa- and online surveys to find out what they pers or magazines (19 percent); 24-hour want and need, what their interests are, news-or-information-only television and what they think.” stations (17 percent); and free news - Empey adds: “The days are gone when papers or CBC Radio news broadcasts media can tell readers what to think (14 percent each). Percentages of people about things. Our readers range in age who said they preferred to obtain their from 18 to 49, but 25 to 34 is the sweet daily news from various digital media spot for us. Their feedback, even from sources were all lower. biased individuals or wing-nuts, gives me The poll also asked respondents a window onto a much larger world. If to classify themselves based on their I didn’t know what the conversation is news-consumption habits as belonging amongst our readers, what they are to one of four categories: Hyper newsies, thinking about and tweeting about, then moderate newsies, casual newsies, or it would be impossible for me to put non-newsies. Almost 40 percent of together a paper and digital products that respondents self-identified as members will interest them.” of the two most engaged categories, Cooke emphasizes that it still remains hyper newsies (10 percent) and moderate a newspaper’s job to tell people what they newsies (29 percent). By combining these

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