Stamford Advocate

Went to the store to buy Monday Stamford Advocate.
The price for it is $1.00. WTF Are they insane.

Big Brown wrote:

Went to the store to buy Monday Stamford Advocate.
The price for it is $1.00. WTF Are they insane.

Why buy it when you can get it for free,online. gone are the days of leaving change on the bundle of papers at the store prior to the owener opening

Well, you have a choice, of sorts. You can pay the dollar, or you can end up with no newspaper at all. The Advocate is doing what just about every newspaper in the country is doing: attempting to cover their loss of advertsising income by raising newsstand and subscription prices.

Yes, you can get it free online, at least for now. But online readers don't pay two ways: they don't pay for the paper, and they don't bring in advertising revenue nearly comparable to print editions.

Newspapers arent charitable ventures. If they lose money they will close. That has already happened in many communities. My guess is that within five years at the outside, the Advocate will cease to exist as we know it, replaced at first by a single regional paper, and eventually by a much sparser online edition that is a collection of personal blogs and tweets.

Publius wrote:

Well, you have a choice, of sorts. You can pay the dollar, or you can end up with no newspaper at all. The Advocate is doing what just about every newspaper in the country is doing: attempting to cover their loss of advertsising income by raising newsstand and subscription prices.
Yes, you can get it free online, at least for now. But online readers don't pay two ways: they don't pay for the paper, and they don't bring in advertising revenue nearly comparable to print editions.
Newspapers arent charitable ventures. If they lose money they will close. That has already happened in many communities. My guess is that within five years at the outside, the Advocate will cease to exist as we know it, replaced at first by a single regional paper, and eventually by a much sparser online edition that is a collection of personal blogs and tweets.

Definitely a paradigm-shifting game changer - but also an opportunity.

Opportunity wrote:

<quoted text>
Definitely a paradigm-shifting game changer - but also an opportunity.

Newspapers are the buggy whips and gaslights of the 21st century.

It may be an opportunity, but it isn't yet clear how a profit can be made from news on electronic media. Some newspapers have charged for their online edition and then withdrawn the charge because it was counter-productive.

The average reader of the NY Times print edition spends 45 minutes reading it, paging past many ads along the way. The average reader of the NY Times online edition spends 7 minutes and can go directly to an article he/she is interested in. So how does that impact advertising income?

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>
Newspapers are the buggy whips and gaslights of the 21st century.
It may be an opportunity, but it isn't yet clear how a profit can be made from news on electronic media. Some newspapers have charged for their online edition and then withdrawn the charge because it was counter-productive.
The average reader of the NY Times print edition spends 45 minutes reading it, paging past many ads along the way. The average reader of the NY Times online edition spends 7 minutes and can go directly to an article he/she is interested in. So how does that impact advertising income?

All good questions, but not much different than the questions being asked by many recent and not so recent startups such as facebook - how to make a profit?

I'm confident that question will be answered by some intelligent entrepreneurs that will sieze upon this opportunity. David would not have become become king had he not beaten Goliath. It appears to me that Goliath is stumbling and this is the perfect time t sieve the opportunity.

You seem like an intelligent enough person. Stop wasting your time on Topix and start a blog on local issues. Encourage other intelligent folks to join you. Try also proving public data in a more easily accessible and consumable format. I'm sure you have plenty of contacts downtown to facilitate the acquisition of such data. If your content is compelling enough to attract a loyal readership, you should be able to also attract advertisers. Start up costs are minimal other than time commitments. Are you up to the challenge?

Opportunity wrote:

<quoted text>
All good questions, but not much different than the questions being asked by many recent and not so recent startups such as facebook - how to make a profit?
I'm confident that question will be answered by some intelligent entrepreneurs that will sieze upon this opportunity. David would not have become become king had he not beaten Goliath. It appears to me that Goliath is stumbling and this is the perfect time t sieve the opportunity.
You seem like an intelligent enough person. Stop wasting your time on Topix and start a blog on local issues. Encourage other intelligent folks to join you. Try also proving public data in a more easily accessible and consumable format. I'm sure you have plenty of contacts downtown to facilitate the acquisition of such data. If your content is compelling enough to attract a loyal readership, you should be able to also attract advertisers. Start up costs are minimal other than time commitments. Are you up to the challenge?

The primary barrier to competition in the print newspaper business is the start up investment. Without a big start up investment, I can start a blog and get ads. Problem is, so can anyone else. The result is too many entrepeneurs competing for very little business and cheap ads.

At least Facebook has a product. There isn't a strong enough interest in Stamford's "public data" to generate ad revenue.

btw, David's defeat of Goliath may have been a key part of making a name for him, but he became king for far more complex reasons. Read the story again. It was Saul who stood in his way, not Goliath.

<s> But thanks for your confidence.

Blogs are like mushrooms, many are toxic. Gotta watch what you eat, as well as their agendas.
The real problem is erosion of credibility in all media. Competition as well. Then you throw in the loss of significant locally owned retil and its loyal advertising dollars.
No credible news gatherer can survive on pennies per hit.
I've been predicting demise of the four purportedly different Heast papers (CT Post, Advocate, Greenwich Time & Danbury News-Time) for over a year. They're down to ONE press now, in Bridgeport. Haven't you noticed loss of late sports scores, or want ads for jobs in Brookfield and Shelton in the GT and Advocate? Even with input from four papers Rosebud's classified ads are a sad joke, filling a few column inches.
All four share an increasing amount of common copy.
Believe me, when it happens, it won't be better for anyone in Fairfield County. Even when there was a County government here, there was no mindset accompanying it. We have been, and will remain, a collection of diverse self-interested communities.
The more Hearst cuts talent, the fewer people subscribe. Its circulation is a third less for the Advocate than it was a few years ago.
Compounding the problem is the fact that News 12 and local radio station "newsrooms" rely upon and rewrite heavily (and not that well) from Hearst.
Cablevision has the money to mount a staff, however, with ever expanding opportunities for ad placements, as well as its rates - going up + 3.7%-to help.

Vox Pop wrote:

Blogs are like mushrooms, many are toxic. Gotta watch what you eat, as well as their agendas.
The real problem is erosion of credibility in all media. Competition as well. Then you throw in the loss of significant locally owned retil and its loyal advertising dollars.
No credible news gatherer can survive on pennies per hit.
I've been predicting demise of the four purportedly different Heast papers (CT Post, Advocate, Greenwich Time & Danbury News-Time) for over a year. They're down to ONE press now, in Bridgeport. Haven't you noticed loss of late sports scores, or want ads for jobs in Brookfield and Shelton in the GT and Advocate? Even with input from four papers Rosebud's classified ads are a sad joke, filling a few column inches.
All four share an increasing amount of common copy.
Believe me, when it happens, it won't be better for anyone in Fairfield County. Even when there was a County government here, there was no mindset accompanying it. We have been, and will remain, a collection of diverse self-interested communities.
The more Hearst cuts talent, the fewer people subscribe. Its circulation is a third less for the Advocate than it was a few years ago.
Compounding the problem is the fact that News 12 and local radio station "newsrooms" rely upon and rewrite heavily (and not that well) from Hearst.
Cablevision has the money to mount a staff, however, with ever expanding opportunities for ad placements, as well as its rates - going up + 3.7%-to help.

It isn't so much erosion of credibility. It'a more erosion of reading. Young people are accustomed to visual media. They like the zooooooooom and whoooosh sounds on TV news.

We agree on the low revenue from internet hits, and on the blogs as well. The blogs work as commentary, but they rarely do hard news digging. They read the paper and comment on what is there. What will happen when the paper goes away? And although there are those who criticize the Advocate for being partial to a party or a politician, that really hasn't been the case. They loved Clapes until they found his weakness, and then they went after him. But at least with the Advocate, you know who they are and you know they have editorial standards. As you noted, blogs have no track record and often no named source.

News12 could do a better job, buth they are up against the same problem the Advocate has: the loss of local identity as we ,mpve from a geographically stable population to a mobile population. Fewer and fewer people are multi-generational Stamford residents. They have less long term stake in the community. So they aren't that much interested in watching local news. Just look what happened to WSTC, What used to be a local community radio station with actual reporters is now almost all streamed from a national source.

We are about to see a huge paradigm shift in how our society functions. The reliance on the press as a balance in a democracy is probably going to disappear.

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>
We are about to see a huge paradigm shift in how our society functions. The reliance on the press as a balance in a democracy is probably going to disappear.

I'm still confident that individuals will pick up the slack that the ultimate demise of the fourth estate will leave behind. Maybe it'll be blogs, maybe it won't. As you correctly noted, today's younger generation consumes information in a completely different manner. I've heard them referred to as Digital Natives since they were born into a computer-centric society. Look to them for the answers.

Regarding "public data" - it's not the data that has value, but how it is "packaged" - including a thoughtful analysis - that adds value.

Regrding David and Goliath - point taken. Just trying to make a simple allegory based on very limited knowledge on a subject matter that holds very little interest for me. I'll try and stick with what I know next time.

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>...News12 could do a better job, buth they are up against the same problem the Advocate has: the loss of local identity as we ,mpve from a geographically stable population to a mobile population. Fewer and fewer people are multi-generational Stamford residents. They have less long term stake in the community. So they aren't that much interested in watching local news. Just look what happened to WSTC, What used to be a local community radio station with actual reporters is now almost all streamed from a national source.
We are about to see a huge paradigm shift in how our society functions. The reliance on the press as a balance in a democracy is probably going to disappear.

Sure News 12 could do better. But it has a steady revenue stream from subscriptions, as well as the opportunity to place ads on I don't know how many channels.
And I gag every time News 12 shows a squad car at a scene - and nothing more - but tells us it's an exclusive.
WSTC is lamentable, and its alleged news operation, poor rewrites of morning newspapers by people with less story knowledge than the print reporters, hosted by a crude oaf with an adolescent sense of humor, is a disgrace to the station's once dominant news presence and heritage. The shoe used to be on the other foot, with Advocate reporters scrambling to catch up on WSTC's stories. Wonder what WSTC's newsroom will do when Hearst merges its four dailies into one, go back to enterprise reporting? No chance.
The only valid local presence on WSTC appears Saturday morning, where veteran John Roman re-appeared in March with his own two hour live talk show, followed by Steve Gladstone's home show, then Len Scinto of Designs by Lee.Then there's Lisa Wexler, a Westport attorney who is bright and tries very hard, but knows little of anything west of Whole Foods at the Norwalk line.

We agree on the shift taking place. Trouble is, no one has been left to watch the store, i.e., local governments, business and events. It's going to be a long time - if ever - for the blogosphere to demand accountability. That function isn't in the program.

Vox Pop wrote:

<quoted text>
Sure News 12 could do better. But it has a steady revenue stream from subscriptions, as well as the opportunity to place ads on I don't know how many channels.
And I gag every time News 12 shows a squad car at a scene - and nothing more - but tells us it's an exclusive.
WSTC is lamentable, and its alleged news operation, poor rewrites of morning newspapers by people with less story knowledge than the print reporters, hosted by a crude oaf with an adolescent sense of humor, is a disgrace to the station's once dominant news presence and heritage. The shoe used to be on the other foot, with Advocate reporters scrambling to catch up on WSTC's stories. Wonder what WSTC's newsroom will do when Hearst merges its four dailies into one, go back to enterprise reporting? No chance.
The only valid local presence on WSTC appears Saturday morning, where veteran John Roman re-appeared in March with his own two hour live talk show, followed by Steve Gladstone's home show, then Len Scinto of Designs by Lee.Then there's Lisa Wexler, a Westport attorney who is bright and tries very hard, but knows little of anything west of Whole Foods at the Norwalk line.
We agree on the shift taking place. Trouble is, no one has been left to watch the store, i.e., local governments, business and events. It's going to be a long time - if ever - for the blogosphere to demand accountability. That function isn't in the program.

Note, e.g., that if you wanted election results last night, all you could get on News12 was the mayoralty in every town. Not a word on BOE, BOF, BOR. That had to wait for the morning paper.

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>
Note, e.g., that if you wanted election results last night, all you could get on News12 was the mayoralty in every town. Not a word on BOE, BOF, BOR. That had to wait for the morning paper.

I noticed that too and found it quite annoying. How difficult would it have been to add a ticker to the bottom of the screen showing ALL results.

Oportunity wrote:

<quoted text>
I noticed that too and found it quite annoying. How difficult would it have been to add a ticker to the bottom of the screen showing ALL results.

For every city and town? News 12 isn't interested in doing that. The Advocate had running results for Stamford going online last night.

David wrote:

<quoted text>
For every city and town? News 12 isn't interested in doing that. The Advocate had running results for Stamford going online last night.

It's been done before. Don't know why it couldn't be done again - at least for the local towns that news12 serves.

And as to why would they do that - to attract viewership. Once I realized they weren't showing the results I wanted to see, I tuned out. And getting to a computer to see the Advocate's running results wasn't an option for me where I was.

Opportunity wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm still confident that individuals will pick up the slack that the ultimate demise of the fourth estate will leave behind. Maybe it'll be blogs, maybe it won't. As you correctly noted, today's younger generation consumes information in a completely different manner. I've heard them referred to as Digital Natives since they were born into a computer-centric society. Look to them for the answers.

But their "answers" are most of the problem. The "digital natives" are rootless. They have no connection to the towns they come from. They go to college in Boston or Madison or Palo Alto, and they either stay there, or move to Seattle or Manhattan. Their "computer centric" society is neither family centric nor community centric.

If there is something in their community that can be improved, they will more readily move to another community than try to fix what they perceive to be wrong.

Community participation is down. The election in Stamford last night pulled less than 40% of registered voters, who themselves are a subset of eligible voters. Of 20 districts on the Bd of Reps, only four (4) had a full contest. Many districts had no contest at all. What is the average age of members of the Bd of Reps? What is the average age of town and city commmittee members? Land use board members?

yes, the digital natives will find ways to make money from the internet. But it is likely to be at the expense of the local press, not a replacement for it.

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>
But their "answers" are most of the problem. The "digital natives" are rootless. They have no connection to the towns they come from. They go to college in Boston or Madison or Palo Alto, and they either stay there, or move to Seattle or Manhattan. Their "computer centric" society is neither family centric nor community centric.
If there is something in their community that can be improved, they will more readily move to another community than try to fix what they perceive to be wrong.
Community participation is down. The election in Stamford last night pulled less than 40% of registered voters, who themselves are a subset of eligible voters. Of 20 districts on the Bd of Reps, only four (4) had a full contest. Many districts had no contest at all. What is the average age of members of the Bd of Reps? What is the average age of town and city commmittee members? Land use board members?
yes, the digital natives will find ways to make money from the internet. But it is likely to be at the expense of the local press, not a replacement for it.

Perhaps I'm overly optimistic, but see things slightly different. I don't believe the medias' problems have to do with lack of interest as much as it has to do with new approaches to consuming information.

I know plenty of young people who are actively engaged in community and civic affairs. For this most recent mayoral race, I was approached several times by high school and college students supporting one candidate or another. Most young folks I've spoken to want to make a difference - they just have different thoughts on how to approach it

Regarding the percentage of voters who turned out last night, it's been my understanding that local elections often have low turnouts. I don't know that there is a direct correlation to today's youth. BUT...I don't doubt you have access to historical figures and can provide a thoughtful analysis ;-)

Regarding the nomadic nature of a digital native - is this fact or perception? Some college students/grads will always move about, but that has always been the case, and I believe it has more to do with cost of living and opportunities than their willingness to be rooted. BUT...I suppose this is a topic for our sociology and economics doctorate students to tackle.

Publius wrote:

<quoted text>
Note, e.g., that if you wanted election results last night, all you could get on News12 was the mayoralty in every town. Not a word on BOE, BOF, BOR. That had to wait for the morning paper.

The Advocate has yet to print a correct (bold type winners) box score in the Stamford Constables race, which should be stacked by the votes for each candidate.
City Board results were abominable on all broadcast media.

WSTC/WNLK's "host" was particularly uninformed and unprepared. The station had no reporters covering in the field. Result coverage hosted by someone with limited talk show - and obviously no news experience - was painful and pitiful.

Advocate printed a map of Wednesday's murder...they were about half a mile off. Oops

Publius wrote:

<quoted text> Of 20 districts on the Bd of Reps, only four (4) had a full contest. Many districts had no contest at all.

I've said it before - too many, small districts. The BOR is bloated and useless as it is currently organized.