Newspapers: Some things never change

From Sean Ireland's latest column in the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association bulletin:

A group of newspaper publishers came to some clear conclusions about their future as they gathered for an SNPA symposium.

They agreed that “newspapers of the coming age will be smaller, better-edited, higher-priced and able to hold their own against any kind of competition.”

The publishers predicted higher costs, decreasing revenue, rising taxes and a growing threat of punitive legislation. Perhaps most importantly, they closed with this: “Newspapers should give more thought to their public relations. We need friends.”

“The Newspaper of the Future” was the discussion topic at the SNPA meeting, and though it was held 70 years ago – in 1941 – the conclusions drawn then seem no less relevant for the newspaper industry now.

Sigh - some things never change.