P^3

 

The Wisconsin man who has owned Newspapers.com is selling the domain name and hoping to get up to $1 million for it. “[Francis Diederich] bought the domain back in 1994 or 1995 and always thought he would do something with it, but he never developed it,” says broker John Cribb, who is handling the sale. (The site is currently a newspaper website directory.) “He turned down big money for it in the old days — he had offers of $750,000 and $1 million,” says Cribb. “My guess is that somewhere between $400,000 and a million is what he’d like to get now.” Cribb says newspapers.com appears as the first or second result in a Google search for newspapers. (The New York Times, he notes, owns newspaper.com.)

via jimromenesko.com

Talk about missing the boat. Hasn't this guy heard that newspapers are dying? He should of grabbed and cash and ran while he could.

Or, should he hold out until newspapers rebound? And then sell the domains for the big bucks.

However, when the rebound happens are we still going to call them newspapers?

Maybe he did miss the boat.

Daily newspaper delivery will go the way of the milkman in a growing number of communities in 2012 and beyond.

My good friend the Newsosaur points out that in park of Michigan, daily newspapers are reducing the number of days they offer home delivery.

Forget about a 7-day delivery schedule, some are opting for a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday sked. That doesn't mean they're not printing everyday, it just means you won't be able to pick the paper out of your bushes on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

And, of course, circulation numbers continue to fall there.

Ol' Newsosaur points out:

On average, the industry reaps less than 14% of its ad revenues from digital media, according to the NAA.

To me that's the heart of the matter. Stockholders and bean counters (and just about everyone in the newsroom) wants digital to work out, but where's the money?

Where's the money? That's the big question.That old cash cow ain't milking like she used to. Back in the day they said that owning a newspaper was like owning a printing press for money.

In the future (like, now) we'll have to lower our expectations and wake up to the fact that old Bossy isn't going back to her days of productive youth.

How about we figure out how to bump up that 14% ? Anyone?

2. “Newspapers”

University of Southern California researchers predict that within five years, “only four major daily newspapers will continue in print.” Tragically, that suggests that when I explain my career and I show my kid a newspaper, I’ll be pointing at a museum’s glass case.

Nearly leading the list in this Alertnet blog, "Daddy, What's a Union?" 10 Words Our Kids May Not Recognize, this comes in as Number 2.

Newspapers will be around, no matter what the format is. Until we can come up with a catchy new word, IF the printed version every dies, we'll still call our electronic progeny a "Newspaper," similar to how we still call them "Albums" even though most of gave up vinyl a loooooog time ago.

Joseph Herscher takes a sip of his coffee to set off an over engineered Rube Golberg-like contraption(s) to ..... ...... ..... .... .. eventually turn his newspaper page. I love the part with the MacBook Pro going over the edge of the table, but y'all gotta love the hamster!

For an interactive full description of the machine:

Artist (read that r-teest) Antoni Miralda on Thursday will be making an "edible newspaper" at the cifo artspace in Miami.

This “artistic experience” requires the participation of an audience, who will receive a round, thin sheet of wafer and a printed sheet listing the 10 sections of the “newspaper” they can choose from. Each sheet is printed with edible ink. The audience can write texts, messages, or drawings on the sheet using edible pens and cake-decorating materials using caramel, sugar and chocolate mixtures, etc.

Sort of makes up for all the times that I said "Bite me" under my breath to complaining customers when I tossed the daily rag into their fish ponds.

The folks Occupying Boston are looking for funds to start The Occupy Boston Globe a real-live printed newspaper!

Here are the details:

The Occupy Boston Globe will come in two forms:

1) A daily, double sided paper, distributed mainly within and around the Occupy Boston encampment at Dewey Square

2) A weekly, full-color broadsheet in both English and Spanish, distributed across the Boston area (and nationally, to those who lend their support!)

This paper will enable us to reach more of the 99%, particularly those who don't have daily access to an internet connection.  It will be run as a community paperwith a transparent editorial and accounting process for all those who want to make sure we remain faithful to the ideals of the Occupy movement.  Anyone will be allowed to submit news articles to our staff, and we will also allow for a small number of opinions and editorials to be published weekly.

We have a great staff of volunteers writing, editing, and designing what the first paper will look like.  Unfortunately for us, however, the cost of materials, printing, and distribution can be prohibitively expensive to a fledgling newspaper.  We are asking for your help in covering these costs, and only these costs.  Any money spent on the paper will be transparently reported on occupybostonglobe.com once the Kickstarter funding period has ended. 

Click on the link to send them some money --- remember, we are the 99%.

MEANWHILE -- back at the ranch: The folks at the real Boston Globe has told the Occupiers to stop using its name and nameplate. So much for upholding the First Amendment!

Keeping with today's Newsies theme, here's a Youtube clip of LEster Flatt and Earl Scruggs performing “Jimmie Brown, the Newsboy”

I sell the morning papers sir my name is Jimmy Brown
Everybody knows that I'm the newsboy of the town
You can hear me yellin' Morning Star runnin' along the street
Got no hat upon my head no shoes upon my feet

Never mind sir how I look don't look at me and frown
Sell the morning papers sir my name is Jimmy Brown
I'm awful cold and hungry sir my clothes is mighty thin
Wander bout from place to place my daily bread to win

My father died a drunkard sir I've heard my mother say
I am helpin' mother sir as I journey on my way
My mother always tells me sir I've nothing in the world to lose
I'll get a place in heaven sir to sell the Gospel News

I sell the morning papers sir...

My bud Ramin over at the Daily Beast notes that the off-off-off-so far off Broadway it's in New Jersey production of Newsies is a hit!

Sold out shows! Singing audiences! Talk of a Broadway production! Yippee!

The big news to me is that there are Newsies groupies called Fansies (!??--really). And they compare it to “ an American version of Oliver—and Calhoun says it’s Annie, but with boys.”

No surprise that Christian Bale (who played the hero role of Jack “Cowboy” Kelly in the film) has distanced himself from the Disney flop. He always struck me as kind of an ass.

Can't get into to see the NJ production and don't want to wait for the Broadway show... watch this remix featuring Laddy Gaga.

(download)

Click here to download:

Seize_the_Day_(Chorale)_to_Bad_Romance.mp4 (3.29 MB)

-- Fromt the Internets.