Demise of Printed Newspapers

The demise of the printed versions of newspapers is upon the horizon. While there are still a handful of major metropolitan printed newspapers the majority of papers are now located on the Internet. The Internet, that wonderful invention of the United States military so many decades ago has finally started digging a hole in the ground into which the newspaper industry is to be finally planted. We feel that a eulogy is in order but that would take signing onto the Internet as that is where the eulogy app is located.

Take a look at the revised for 2010 overall subscription list for the top 50 United States based newspapers and you will see where the end of the line for newspapers starts and ends. The total numbers are supposed to rise and fall after every quarter or so but in the newspaper industry there has only been a steady and sometimes very quick drop in the total numbers of residences that still order the printed paper.

2001-2004 Total Newspaper (Printed) Subscriptions                17.89 Million

2005 2009 Total Newspaper (Printed) Subscriptions                 13.58 Million

2010           Total Newspaper (Printed) Subscriptions                   7.25Million

With those numbers showing no signs of returning to their top form of the 1970’s (record breaking decade for printed newspaper subscriptions 34 million) it will not be too much longer before all of the newspapers will be online only. The flexibility of having the news brought to you on even your cell phone Internet enabled device certainly marks the end of the printed media as we knew it.

Does this mean that in your lifetime you may be alive for the very last hand-held NY Times or Chicago Tribune? That all depends on the overall numbers in terms of subscription rates and residences that refuse to go digital and hang on to the last bastions of the black and white printed newspapers.  If you would like to see just how many residences in your neighborhood have already made the transition from printed newspapers to digital formats hang outside or on the corner of your street around 3-4 am on Saturday morning. You will notice a lack of the tell-tale thumping of papers heavy with advertisement and not much else not hitting the mailbox or the wet grass. Do you now see why printed papers, even the ones that are delivered with a competent newspaper delivery boy or girl are not very sound and definitely not as cool as the digital-aged ones online.

Here are some of the largest in circulation still to this day newspapers, enjoy while you can!

New York Times

Los Angeles Times

Chicago Tribune