The Future of Newspapers

Newspaper businesses are struggling. Like TV stations, proliferation
of choices for the consumer has meant less of the pie for newspapers.
And unlike TV stations, many of these other choices are not just more
choices for the consumer but better, faster, and cheaper choices.

So what will the newspaper of the future look like? Here are my
musings, off the top of my head:

o Lots of partnerships. Could newspapers partner with the postal
service on deliveries? Or maybe co-brand the Sunday section with a
popular lifestyle weekly?

o The paper as teaser for a more comprehensive website. Run a teaser
on various articles, with the full versions appearing on the website.
Don't print pages and pages of stock prices or classified ads, just a
few to get people to go online, where you can navigate and search more
easily.

o More audience participation. Facilitate discussions with readers on
hot topics, link to their blogs, give them the rush of having their
words or their pictures published in the paper.

o Serve local government. Get the cities you're in to pay you to push
important reference information to citizens: how to access public
services, where to vote, resources for better health and wellness.