Monday, February 04, 2008

New York Times

Marc Andreessen writes on the 'deathwatch' of the New York Times. It isn't much more than most of us will have heard about as the company released their latest financial reports; however, the review of the current board membership is a bit of an eye opener.

On another note, I have commented on The Times a number of times (link below). Currently, I only purchase the Sunday print version. Generally as I sit reading with the TV on, their ad comes on selling subscriptions to the print. It happens with regularity, and yet as you might watch a slow moving train approach a cliff, I always seem to watch and listen. As their subs and newsstand sales fall off a cliff there is almost no indication to the wider world that this company has an online strategy. The thinking seems to be if they promote the website, About.com or even the Times Reader that will accelerate the migration away from print and so they are prohibited. Most other information companies try to accelerate the migration but then these companies have figared out a new revenue model which NYTimes hasn't.

But really, these ads are horrible and exemplify better than anything else their lack of understanding of the new media landscape. Print ads on TV, what could be worse when you should be an internet company?

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