Now what? Even newspaper owners don’t want to have anything to do with newspapers?

The recent news that Belo Corp. and E.W. Scripps have opted to spin off their newspaper holdings into separate companies doesn’t necessarily mean that all media firms want to cleanse newspapers from their operations.

But it does represent the new reality. In Belo’s case, The Dallas Morning News is not like operating WFAA-TV. And as far as Scripps is concerned, running The Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel is just a tad different than operating HGTV (although the News-Sentinel’s relatively new production plant does sport some nice accents and wall colors).


Chuck Moozakis, Editor-In-Chief
Newspapers & Technology Magazine
 

Creating new entities whose primary mandate is to operate newspapers as a core — or in the case of Scripps a primary — business might just be the cure these media conglomerates have been seeking. They’ll no longer be hamstrung by Wall Street analysts’ continuing howls for better stock performance (keeping in mind, of course, that all Wall Street investment firms have only their clients’ best interests at heart and have no hidden agendas) and the resulting newspaper-focused companies should have the management, cash and firepower needed to mine their respective growth opportunities.

And make no mistake: Growth is the operative word here.

Because cutting costs alone ain’t cutting it.

Consolidating, streamlining and reducing expenses can only go so far before there’s nothing left to cut, and, eventually, nothing left at all.

So publishers must turn their attention to areas where growth can occur. The Internet is a given, although its contributions will only be a small piece of the answer.

Specialty publications are another. That’s a route being taken by many newspapers as they attempt to tap into their area’s niche communities.

Commercial publishing is a third. The Rockford (Ill.) Register Star and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, to name only two, prove that a newspaper can be a dominant commercial printer if the resources and technology are sufficient.

And last, but certainly not least, publishing the core newspaper. Newspapers, and only newspapers, have the resources necessary to cover the day’s events — from World Wars to local bake sales.

But to do that, newspapers have to continue to invest in new products, new services and new technology. If they’re going to attract the readers and advertisers of tomorrow, they can’t be holding on to yesterday.