Newspapers shrink, one expands
January 2, 2013
While most newspapers throughout the state are shrinking, one California newspaper owner has chosen to increase quality and content. [Huffington Post]
The Orange County Register has increased its community news section nearly five-fold, added more investigative reporting and about 75 journalists since Aaron Kushner bought the paper in July. Kushner believes people will pay for high-quality news.
His views buck a current trend of slashing costs by offering smaller papers and shrinking staff while charging online visitors. The model increases revenue while papers lose about 60 percent of their online readers.
While most papers charge a smaller amount for online clicks, Kushner plans to begin charging online visitors the same price as those who read paper copies in March.
“If you have a wonderful restaurant and it cost $10 to come in the front door, I’ve never understood why it should cost anything less to come through a side door,” Kushner told the Huffington Post. “The value of the journalism isn’t any less. The reporter isn’t paid any less. The photographer isn’t paid any less.”
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