For nearly 170 years, newspapers enjoyed the privileged position of informing readers of local, regional and international news. Since 1833 the standard business model was largely driven by advertising revenues in the US and from advertising revenues, sales and subscriptions in Europe. Then came the internet. Ad revenues and circulation declined as both advertisers and consumers switched to the often free, immediate and timely digital medium. Newspapers were slow to capitalize on the opportunities and found their very existence threatened. Faced with a business model that no longer delivered, how should print newspapers respond? Was there a solution? Or just a slow and inevitable death? This industry note investigates various actions taken by newspapers and what further needed to be done.
