Newspapers Sinking

The Guardian's Roy Greenslade looks at share prices of newpapers across the world and says the fact that newspapers across the world are in serious trouble isn't just his opinion, it's an undeniable fact (Guardian, March 13, 2008).

And here's one U.S. paper's solution: Name a Chief Innovation Officer (did someone forget the CIO title is already taken?), as the Chicago Tribune has just done. Read Lee Abram's own blog post on the subject, and the email that he sent out to staff (posted on Poynter). He starts on April 1st. (Errr... no kidding.)

(On April 8 NPR broadcast a David Folkenflick story about Sam Zell, "the no-bull billionaire who took over the Tribune Co. in December." In it Zell describes journalists as "overhead" and the story focuses on the financial pressure on Zell.)

And all is not lost. Here's an article by Steve Lohr describing how some old technologies have managed to keep going, and even be profitable.

Also:
- Timely Tough Love for the Industry (Poynter)