Horne added:
The Register was profitable in 2008 and is profitable in 2009. In this economic environment, the fact we’ll have double-digit operating margins this year speaks to the strength of the Register’s position and its link to the community. There is zero chance the Register will close its doors. Orange County will have a newspaper. Those people who say newspapers are dead are wrong. What’s happening is newspapers are changing. Those that don’t, will die.(via Romenesko)
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I wish Mr Horne well. Anytime a newspaper closes the doors it is not good on a number of fronts.
His statement though left me a little perplexed. I doubt if the chances are zero. I am glad he is feeling good about his business. Double digit profits are nothing to sneeze about.
His newspapers must change or die is a big wow. Haven't we heard that for about twenty years now? Newspapers are changing but the black advertising ink that for many years came in the door isn't any longer. Newspapers have not adapted to selling yet. In the trenches, being accountable, and kicking ass is not their strong suit.
As a whole, newspapers won't die, but, readers will and are getting less. Newspapers sites are far less thrilling than competitors sites who do it for a living, and, newspapers are still glacier like in their decision process.
Can Mr Horne tell his readers that they are getting a better product, a more robust product etc than they were during the wars with the Times? He may try. He would be wrong.
And the big wow is instead of talking about not downsizing, how about talking about growth on all fronts...now that would be a great press release.
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