ZDNet reports that Sergey Brin believes newspapers can still prosper. Quote:
If newspapers take the time during the transition, to figure out what the next model might be, they can have a “strong sustainable form of revenue” for the future.
Nope. It’s too late for almost all of them, particularly the regional papers in cities of any size. They make no sense economically.
They may be sustainable in some form. But they have almost no chance, at this point, of any strength in their markets. They blew whatever opportunity they had a long time ago, by failing to recognize reality or, even if they understood what was happening, by failing to do anything serious to change while they had the chance.
When Brin, Eric Schimdt and other Googlers make these kinds of statements, are they trying to smooth the rocky relations they have with the industry? Or do they really believe this stuff? I suspect the former. They’re too smart to buy what they’re saying.
(Photo by Kamoteus (A Better Way) via Flickr)