Readers, have a say in saving your paper

Boston Globe ^

[outpostinmass2]

HEY GLOBE readers, can you spare some time?

Discuss COMMENTS (110) Tell me. What does this newspaper mean to you?

As you've no doubt noticed, we've become one of the biggest stories in town. The New York Times is threatening to close the place down unless it gets $20 million in concessions from the Globe unions.

We're suffering from a double whammy: A bad recession and a self-defeating business model. Troubled times have sent advertising revenues plummeting. Meanwhile, we're selling the paper with one hand and giving it away on Boston.com with the other. That's never made any sense - the more so since website ads aren't anywhere near the revenue-generator that print ads are.

When it comes to the printed product, the picture is discouraging. Overall, our daily print circulation is about 324,000, 14th in the country as of September 2008; that's off 10 percent from the previous year, and down 22 percent from 2005. Although conservative critics would have you believe our liberal editorial stance has alienated legions of one-time readers, fewer than 10 percent of subscription cancelers cite disagreement with content as their motivation. The big reasons: No time to read, delivery problems, and cost.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Bostonians should get really mad and make sure to kick out Barney Frank from office and then head up to NY and riot in the NY Times building.

[mgc1122]

“We’re suffering from a double whammy: A bad recession and a self-defeating business model. “

Don’t forget acting as public enabler for corruption in Massachusetts and Washington.

[No Truce With Kings]

Ya put out a crappy product, and eventually the public stops buying it. The solution is to fix the product, but those running newspapers are not even aware that their product is crappy. They think it is just fine, and that the public need education (or perhaps govt-sponsored “re-education”). Until they realize their product is crap, newspapers are going to continue circuling the drain.

[Izzy Dunne]

Tell me. What does this newspaper mean to you?

I don't think you really want to know.

[saveliberty]

So if times are so difficult, why do they still have 13 unions and have some members who have jobs for life?

[NativeNewYorker]

What does this newspaper mean to you?

[CASchack]

Advertising revenue has plummeted because most normal folks don’t want to read the Globe’s leftist, “all gay, all the time” slant on everything.

Let it close.

[Seruzawa]

What did you think was going to happen? You catered to the political party that wants as many illiterates in society as possible so they can be brainwashed through flashing pictures on the TV. You stood foursquare for the evil teacher’s union and its policy of educational destruction.

You got what you asked for, Globe. Liberals can’t read any more. They watch TV instead of taking your cage liner.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The paper finally comes to terms with capitalism. They have to sell something of value to stay in business.
Who would've thought of that ?

[rockrr]

Dear Boston Globe,

I saw your story posted on FreeRepublic.com and was interested enough in the novelty of asking your viewers their opinion to follow the link to your site. I thought it interesting that you would elect comments even when you so quickly dismiss your alienation of conservative viewers as a contributory reason for your loss in readership.

Unfortunately you require registration even to view the comments, not to mention adding one of my own, so I dropped out. The likelihood is that you will never know the reason for your business failure - you’re so certain that you already know that you erect walls to your own curiosity.

Perhaps Craigslist can find a job for you...

[theknuckler_33]

The internet is killing newspapers. Thats it. If it was the content, then ALL their news sources would be suffering and we’d be hearing about CNN or MSNBC going out of business. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

[Altura Ct.]

What does this newspaper mean to you?

Marxism, socialism and the destruction of the US?

[Loyal Buckeye]

fewer than 10 percent of subscription cancelers cite disagreement with content as their motivation

Must have forgotten about those who will not subscribe because of content. I'm sure the ommission is because of oversight and not bias.

[JenB987]

Let the papers die.

Free market solutions to Commie problems.

[rockrr]

elect = elicit

[Copernicus]

They just do not get it.

I actually know someone at my daily paper and we actually had some discussions and all I heard were the same self serving rationalizations printed in this column.

Best regards,

[WellyP]

I have read the Globe for 40 years. For the last 10+ years, that has been on-line. Because I live overseas much of the time it is the best way for me get my New England news and keep up with the Bosox, Celtics and Pats! I have very little money but I would willingly pay $10-20 a year for the on-line edition!

[theDentist]

It means I’d have to use the MetroWest Daily to clean up after puppies.

[kitkat]

***... fewer than 10 percent of subscription cancelers cite disagreement with content as their motivation. The big reasons: No time to read, delivery problems, and cost.***

Since I live in Western NY, I subscribed to the Buffalo News. Years ago I called to cancel it and was handed over to the woman I believe was the president’s secretary. She asked why I was canceling. I told her I wouldn’t read anymore of their leftist propaganda. She very rudely hung up on me. I wonder how many Boston Globe readers actually got counted as not wanting to read their propaganda.