Why Nobody Buys A Paper Anymore

 

The front of the Desert Sun. There is no place to park and the entrance is where those railings are,

   I had an interesting experience today with the local newspaper, The Desert Sun. Actually, it is a pretty good newspaper IF you can get it.

     A Journalism major in college, newspapers, magazines, anything published is near and dear to my heart. While all my friends get things digitally, I want to hold that paper in my hot little hands. That is why, after I moved here, I subscribed to the Desert Sun, not every day but the important days; Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

     The Desert Sun and I have had a kind of hate / love relationship since 2016. At least once a year but more often several times a year the paper doesn't arrive, like today.

     So you get on the phone and go through a bunch of responses to their telephone robot and in frustration hang up and send them an email. They promise and promise but sooner or later, usually sooner, the paper fails to arrive.

     What is really galling is that I got two weekends deliveries visiting my daughter in Tennessee forgetting to cancel the paper. So when I finally arrived home after a frustrating two days trying to get home, there they were. When I looked for it this morning, nada, nothing, zilch.

     Gannett, the owner since 1988, must have been doing some more cuts (well, if they would deliver they might get more subscriptions) because I got a call center and between the accent of the call center and the delays in getting a response I would guess I spoke to our friends in India. She wouldn't say where she was. After being told that I could get my paper tomorrow I asked, "If I didn't get my paper today, why do you think I would get it tomorrow? Besides, why do I want a day old newspaper?" She had no answer and when I asked to speak to the circulation manager was told that she had no way to do that.

     In frustration I finally said, "I tell you what, cancel my subscription. This goes on once or twice a year. I live maybe two or three miles from you. In the past a paper would be delivered that day. I don't want todays paper tomorrow." I don't know if it was cancelled because there was a long pause and then, well, I hung up.

Don't be late cause you can't get in.

    I had to go to the doctor today so decided to swing by the paper and complain in person since no one seems available on the phone. Guess what? It was closed. Yup, a newspaper, something that earns it living from talking to and reporting on "people" was closed. They only are open Monday - Friday 9:00 to 12:00. I was stunned. I had never heard of such a thing. A newspaper closed? And not only was it closed you have to park on one side of the building and then walk around to the entrance. There is a circular driveway but no parking anywhere near the front entrance. I guess they really don't want to see you.

You park here and then walk around the building
to enter.

     As I was driving away someone came to the door and made a comment about being closed, at least to the public. I told him I would send him a copy of my blog and drove off.

     In reflecting on my college days, the words of our Director for the School of Journalism came back. Newspapers are in the business to deliver the news in the best way possible. He was curiously ahead of his time because he stressed over and over that the way it was delivered was immaterial but what was important was that it got delivered. Many of the revenue streams of the 60's are now gone and newspapers are struggling to make themselves relevant in these digital times. The one thing that has not changed however, is the need for good customer service.

You better look closely to find that stop sign

  Newspapers are a funny conundrum. Subscriptions actually don't make a newspaper or any other publication much money. Ads do. However, if there are many eyeballs reading your publication you can charge more per column inch. In fact there are organizations that measure just that, how many read each publication. So, subscribers are important because the more eyeballs you have, the more you can charge. All I can say is that they lost two eyeballs today.

      I guess the final insult today was at the end of the driveway. There was a stop sign I almost missed it because it's entirely faded and is white on white. Luckily it doesn't seem to go anywhere except the back but its things like that that, to me, scream "We don't care." It was the final straw that broke the camel's back. Small things matter, subscribers matter and because they don't care they will die out like the dinosaur.

     Oh, and by the way, the one thing I did hear from the call center, identified as such, was that she couldn't cancel my subscription until Saturday, April 13, 2019. I wonder IF I will get my paper then?

P.S. April 13, 2019

Guess what, the paper did arrive today, the Saturday paper, NOT the Friday paper. It should be interesting if a Sunday paper arrives.

Thank you for reading my blog. I invite you to take the time to read earlier blogs where my emphasis is to explore the ways art and design affects our daily lives ... and always has. I share with you what inspires me with the hope that it will inspire you as well. Comments are always welcomed! 

Be sure to check my ETSY store ... KrugsStudio.etsy.com. I am adding many new and exciting, collectible birdhouses and craft items. Many of the items talked about here will be for sale there!