Something strange happened this morning, but I guess over the last few weeks there had been some build up. I’d been too busy one weekend for newspapers, and another I’d decided that I only wanted it for the job section anyway and you the online version had more advertised. So, when I wandered into my lovely Costcutter this morning I didn’t even glance at the newspaper aisle. A couple of years ago this would have been unthinkable. I loved my Saturday and Sundays squished into the corner of my couch, a malaise of typeface spread out over me like a cosy blanket of thoughts and witticisms.

So, what’s changed? Money is one thing. I want all these things that the newspapers have told me about over the years, those lovely homes that people living very different lives to me have to hold and love. So I’m scrimping. Because in the first instance, that’s the only way I’m ever going to get it. The other reason is the wonderful Guardian online - which really gives me everything I need in the paper, instead of the blanket it’s my toasty laptop. Another reason is social media.

I’ve become quite the social media butterfly these last few weeks, flitting from blog to blog, soaking up the wonderful journalism on journalism that’s been stirring up the status quo. I’ll include some golden nuggets below, and will offer my thoughts as well: I will be very sorry to see the newspaper, in it’s tangible handheld form disappear altogether. However, I think it will become inevitable. The business model for newspapers is no longer viable. Indeed, as I was informed at an internal meeting of my place of work “the Guardian newspaper doesn’t make money”. Which is why it chooses to own other media businesses (like the one I work at) under private equity deals, so we can generate the income needed to keep this wonderful neo-liberal paper going. In the word’s of Gavin & Stacy’s Nessa - Fairplay. I don’t mind working indirectly for the Guardian. However, I think the Guardian is very savvy about the need to change it’s business model. It’s online presence is superb. I visit it online everyday. As a brand it will continue to lord it over the niche blogosphere that loves to nibble on it. It even has a blog page featuring it’s favourite bloggers - ooh to be a blogger that lands on there. Did I tell you that I have a dream…? Anyway, enough about that. The way we consume news is changing, and if newspapers want to keep with the times they will need to ensure they maintain their brand with a standout online offering. Now for those nuggets I promised…

Danny Sullivan summarises the current situation as following, of course check out the full article on on his blog

“My suggestion is simple: stop looking to blame Google for your failings. Figure out a better business model rather than blowing hot air about the privileged positions you occupy. Newspapers get special treatment with the extraordinary amount of traffic they get from Google. And while their top managers go off on renewed Google rampages, they still continue to work to get even more traffic. It is stunning hypocrisy, and certainly not what you’d expect from smart business people. But given how badly their papers seem to be going, I suppose they aren’t so smart.”

And Clay Shirky on Newspapers and the Unthinkable

“For the next few decades, journalism will be made up of overlapping special cases. Many of these models will rely on amateurs as researchers and writers. Many of these models will rely on sponsorship or grants or endowments instead of revenues. Many of these models will fail. No one experiment is going to replace what we are now losing with the demise of news on paper, but over time, the collection of new experiments that do work might give us the journalism we need.”