The Death of Newspapers …and of Newspaper Advertising

It’s coming. To be clear, I said “Newspapers” and not “The Death of Papers” or the “Death of News Coverage” just like TV was not the death of radio but did significantly impacted radio after it was introduced and for that matter while movies did help kill vaudeville it did not kill theater. The printed paper will not die nor will news coverage, just the format that we (those over 30) know and love. It will evolve into something else. We are already seeing that with newspapers moving totally online and new, experimental online news sites appearing.

Others will argue that, like global warming, the death of newspapers is not going to happen. I believe it is now a question of when and no longer of if. While I don’t celebrate or morn the death of newspapers I do morn the death of newspaper advertising which I believe the museum community to be wholy unprepared for. For museums, particularly history museums, newspapers along with direct mail are main way to reach their 55+ years old audience. Once they are gone what is their advertising plan B to reach that audience? I am not just talking about direct paid ads placed in newspapers but also of sponsorships from newspapers and in-kind advertising as well as calendar postings of events and exhibits. After the “news-papers” are gone where can the coveted 55+ age be reached?