The Observation Deck

Home delivery.

With more rumors coming out of the Plain Dealer/Sun Papers, latest is them not printing on Tuesday and Thursday. Now the Wall Street Journal and Detroit Free Press will curtail home delivery most days. More and more are starting to wonder if papers can actually make it.

Of course this was the prediction of Observer Board member Lauren Fine(Huffinton Report) when we first met at the City Club Forum on death of the newspapers. It was during that meeting when Lauren, who I had never met claimed a little paper in Lakewood Ohio was ten years ahead of the curve, and helping residents see their city better.

We are getting ready to launch two more papers, one being the Ohio City Argus, and the second announced Monday I believe. We are also working on papers in many, many other communities and working with some established papers on how to survive in the future.

While I am excited about AGS and Observer Inc. nothing gives me more satisfaction than the attention Lakewood Ohio is getting. Through all of it Lakewood is always seen as a vibrant, engage, hard working fun city. just today I once again heard, "Oh well that is easy, you live in Lakewood."

One of the items they always are amazed over is the Observation Deck, and the personalities that are here without censorship and editing. That the city is so healthy that we can openly talk about schools, city hall, crime, fun etc. using our real names, and creating positive programs that are changing and defining Lakewood and the community. People, outsiders that are desperately looking for a way to help their city or community see all of us and the paper as the greatest community building tool out there.

I just smile and say, "Yep it is easy in Lakewood. Ever think of moving there."

Once again, thanks to all that are proving Lakewood and this project is different.

peace


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Jim, I so love this post. It is evidence that when you embrace the possibilities you CAN succeed.

I've been preaching a lot lately about the opportunities for small business right now. NOW is the time for small businesses - like the ones in Lakewood - to really shine! Make your mark now while the rest of the country is in their own self-inflicted turmoil.

Rock on with your bad selves!

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Of course this was the prediction of Observer Board member Lauren Fine(Huffinton Report) when we first met at the City Club Forum on death of the newspapers.

Michael Creighton predicted the death of newspapers in 1993:

http://www.slate.com/id/2192382

The question is: Will Obama bail out the newspaper industry? If not why not?

The bailout mentality does great damage to the economy. The government bails out poorly run companies that have outdated business plans. Businesses that are well run and well adapted to changing economic conditions are punished for their success.

If the Plain Dealer asks for a bailout who will say no?

Jim, in this new paradigm the real money is in failure. A successful company is not a well run company but a well connected company.

The best business investment you can make is not in people, training, research and develoment, product quality or customer service. It is in campaign contributions.

Bill Call wrote:
If the Plain Dealer asks for a bailout who will say no?

Jim, in this new paradigm the real money is in failure. A successful company is not a well run company but a well connected company.

The best business investment you can make is not in people, training, research and develoment, product quality or customer service. It is in campaign contributions.

Bill

Is it a campaign contributions. I would say no.

As far as the bailout, Part 1.

A man with a hammer sees everything as a nail.

What our congressman/senators/media owners understand, is making money on Wall Street, Banking, etc. So of course the panic hits very hard, very quickly. Add to that fact a few that said, "This will do it." Hence the media and politicians assured us, this was needed. What I never understood was why they did it backwards? I mean didn't it make more sense to guarantee the loans. Therby removing the uncertainty and panic.

Auto bailout, nothing more than a Republican attack on unions, and benefits. Should it be saved, who knows, could we throw crumbs their way while it is studied, beyond a shadow of a doubt. During the holidays it borders on cruel and unusual punishment.

Enough on that.

Papers.
From everything I have seen, it is nearly the perfect storm. Printing switches to high end digital equipment, that cost a fortune. It is also obsolete the moment it arrives. A huge burden for any company. Then add in the two massive buildings for a staff 1/3rd the size it was designed for.

Craig's List/Ebay, Dead jobs market, people keeping cars longer, classifieds are drying up quickly. As no one at the LO was ever in the newspaper business, we stayed out of classifieds, not realizing that it is 40% of a daily's revenue! We give it away to Lakewood residents online.

CRACK IT IS CHEAPER, IT IS STRONGER - Insane reporting, that bordered on marketing. For decades we have read about the death of newspapers, in newspapers. The fact is, there is a bright future for newspapers that deliver what people either want or cannot get elsewhere.

Finally Panic - I compare it to mistakes most restaurants make when it gets slow. They cut staff, they cut portions, the cut hours. In turn they cut service, quantity/quality, and availablity, all major reasons why customers buy. If one were to stop and think, they would see how insane it is. The Plain Dealer has all but given up on anything but AP Stories which you can get in about 1 million sources faster. In an effort to save money they force out their stars, and with it their fans. Then they cut thousands loose, that were their story leads, and goodwill ambassadors around the city. In the end, CRACK IS CHEAPER it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of their own doing.

Throw in the economy, and you have a perfect deadly storm for papers.

Newspapers, recycled goods that can be recycled, inexpensive, and user friendly, with minimum learning curve, saves energy, has things you like in it. for the life of me I cannot see a downside in my lifetime.

As for advertising on the net, There is still no way to quantify it enough to attract any serious investors. Again, all smoke and mirrors. You show me someone selling ads on the net, and I will show you someone with totally bogus numbers. Anyone making money on the net is either a web designer or selling something online. Both are also in decline.


FWIW


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Bill Call wrote: The bailout mentality does great damage to the economy. The government bails out poorly run companies that have outdated business plans. Businesses that are well run and well adapted to changing economic conditions are punished for their success.

If the Plain Dealer asks for a bailout who will say no?

Jim, in this new paradigm the real money is in failure. A successful company is not a well run company but a well connected company.

Bill, I agree. And I agree with Jim's statement about HOW they did the bail out. Odd to ask people who don't generate revenue to get involved in the economy.

They think throwing money at it will solve the problem. The PROBLEM with that is then there is no solution, no creation, no fixing. It allows previously poor managers and leaders to continue to sit and stew instead of prompting innovation and improvement.

I just bought Lee Iacocca's 'Where have all the leaders gone?' because that is, indeed, my question.