We're looking at tinkering some things at my newspaper and, as these discussions always do, the goal of attracting younger readers (particularly the much lauded 18-34 demographic) is playing a large role.
I know there are some of you who read newspapers -- many because you're in the business -- and there are many that don't. So today I'm posing a few question, mostly just for the benefit of my curiosity:
1) If you don't read a paper, is there anything that newspapers could do that would get you to pick one up? (If there's not, tell me that, too.)
2) If you do read a paper, what do you like or dislike? What would you like to see more/less of? What do you find most useful?
3) Magazines are often ahead of the curve on a lot of things, and I think a fair amount of younger people do read magazines on a regular basis, even if they don't pick up a paper. What do you like about the magazines you read? Is it just that it's a niche that you have an interest in, or are there particular features that you like? (Give magazine names, please.)
So if you've got some time, please post your comments -- any and all ideas are welcome -- and tell your friends to post, too. The more the merrier, as they say.
And thanks for the input. :-)
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7 comments:
I read magazines for different reasons than I read newspapers. Magazines feed my desire for celebrity gossip, fashion and interesting profiles and longer pieces on people newspapers never seem to cover. I read Vogue, Vanity Fair, Instyle, Real Simple, People, Newsweek, Rolling Stone and Us. Some of it's crap, but it's a guilty pleasure.
I read newspapers to see what's going on in the world on a different level. Partly to keep informed for my job and partly because I truly am interested. As a young reader, I don't think there is a whole lot that would make me want to read a newspaper more. It's an elusive market for a reason. I have only seen the Minneapolis City Pages capture the youth market well, and that's because it's an alternative paper. I've heard that a rule of thumb is if you can't use swear words in print, you'll have a tough time getting kids to read it. Newspapers already attempt to write about local music scenes, and there is lots of stuff on movies, restaurants and celebrity people in the news, which younger people like. Some of the very large newspapers write about fashion, but most don't. That is one of the few additions I would like to see in some of the newspapers I read. That, and more travel stuff. I also think first-person accounts of what goes on at colleges and high schools would also be cool to read. Everyone seems to want to get in the minds of those age groups. What is really going on at those places in terms of youth culture?
I think newspapers do a fairly good job of capturing my attention, but I am not 16.
Hi Brian!
Just some quick comments. To be honest, I get most of my news from the internet (news.google, 9news.com) in the mornings as I just glance over the headlines for interesting stories. Having said that, I do get the Rocky Mountain News on the weekends. I usually only end up reading the Sunday paper, and that is for the comics, weekly adds, and coupons (I know, I'm not normal). So what would get me more interested in reading the paper? Time, mostly. I have to admit I also read stories that are shorter--like the brief paragraph stories about what's going on around the nation and the world. That way I can keep informed, but it doesn't take all morning. I also like stories about travel and news items that aren't about death and destruction. And the weather, of course. ;) And I really like 'news of the weird'. Like your last post about the tomato. Actually, one of the things that draws me in are cool photos (that's true of magazines, too). Dislikes? I hate getting a big fat paper (other than on Sunday), because I know I'm not going to have time to read it all.
Ok, that's more about my newspaper habits than you probably needed/wanted to know.
P.S. I'm in the middle of finals week right now (and I graduate on Friday), so I'll try to give you a call next week sometime. :)
A better international news section would get me to read actual newspapers more. Most I've come across are painfully thin in that area.
this smells like a ploy to get more hits on your site meter.
What's a matter, Christa? Mad you didn't think of it first?
Clare, I can assure you that most newspapers will go to a tabloid size in the future -- I'd guess within the next 20 years. European papers have already started going that way, which means that the U.S. will slowly come around to that as well, and some papers have already begun experimenting with tabloid sizes. But you're right -- tabloids tend to be much more reader-friendly. The main setbacks are connotations that newspaper people have about the tabloid size (they equate it with the National Enquirer and other tabloids) and the fact that it screws up advertising space.
But don't worry, it'll happen eventually.
I don't read a newspaper, except as I'm laying one out. Some reasons:
- There are a few things in which I'm really interested. There are a lot of things in which I am not at all interested. Newspapers happen to cover the latter most of the time, and cover the former poorly. So I read magazines and Web sites.
- I don't like to deal with stacks of newsprint. I grudgingly throw out three-year-old magazines I haven't cracked since their distribution month, but I can't get rid of a newspaper fast enough. Getting one every day is Sisyphean.
- The ink. Get the damn ink off my hands.
I've doodled my way through enough newspaper design seminars and "OMG, what can we do stop our precipitous slide into irrevelance" brainstorming sessions to know that we're not going to be without newspapers anytime soon. But I think it's important for papers to recognize that there are things they don't do well. You're going to get beaten on technology news. You're going to get beaten on entertainment news. You're going to get beaten very badly on breaking news. What you're not going to get beaten on is local stuff. CNN can't tell me if the local mill levy passed. Gawker (et al) can't tell me about Pearl's Depressing-Ass Consignment Shop on Main Street. Newspapers are still the place for local news.
I have nothing to suggest in regard to keeping/wooing young readers. Newspapers might have to be resigned to losing a generation or two, until knowing shit is cool again.
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