What information am I willing to pay for that a newspaper could make money on? What information is my neighbor willing to pay for? What information do I want that makes it worth subscribing to a paper so I can have online privileges?
"A" Section stuff -- I can get better stuff free and online. I'm not going to pay for it. This almost has to be a freebee. "B" Section -- local news. What's going on in town -- here do a New York Times list -- throw in everything including the kitchen sink. A computer can sift though everyone's individual taste -- "classical music", "outside, Sunday" "Church," "dinner, art," and "park play children." There's not space in a print edition to list all events in a town, but there plenty of room online. Without the filter of "what the editor likes," a communities social life can start reflecting the real values of the community.
Online neighborhood chats -- similar to FreeRepublic openness -- ideas for a better community. A place where local reporters can gleen what the local people are concerned about. It's popular here -- it could be a local "must have".
Some will pay for local crime news. What crimes are being committed in my neighborhood and at what time of day, by who?
Homes for sale. A search engine set up so the newest listings can be found, or homes by neighborhood, or by price, or number of bedrooms, or school district.
Sales of any kind in the paper. Would advertisers like to list additional information about their products online for an additional small fee? Classifieds. Again, what's newest, what's closest, what's the cost for all '98 Honda's? Is there an online picture to go with the classified ad?
What's being served at school for lunch, what's the bus schedule, what's the science homework for your 10 year old. ( OK, that last one might be too hard -- then again, some schools might want the privilege of sending the information.)
How's traffic. Coordinate with the local radio station. What jobs are being offered and where? Sort by wages, by community.
Online backup of the newspaper can give readers more information. And the backup ad information could give the newspapers more revenue. Selling a used car? "Six lines in the classified, one price, and a picture on the online site will cost you another price." Department stores doing a "white sale"? Run the ad in the paper, run the details on the paper's web site for a small additional cost. The paper collects for and runs both.
If the reader subscribes to the paper, visits to the paper's web site are free. If not, there's a charge. Make it useful, they will come, they will pay, and they'll come back. Make it an ego trip to the higher glorification of the writers and they'll come and not come back.
The online areas that get the most hits are supporting the paper and need to be expanded. The areas that are not getting hits can be dumped or improved. Paper should advertise restaurants in the paper, and offer the menu, prices and specials online. etc, etc. etc. I can think of many more ways ... as can every freeper.
bump