Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo® – 2/27/2023
Overall, 2,500 newspapers in the United States—a quarter of them—have closed since 2005 (Wikipedia). Over 360 closed since just before the start of the pandemic, but that was also the pace prior to the pandemic. If auto advertising were to suddenly disappear or seriously attenuate, most of the rest would probably vanish.
Our local daily, the Providence Journal, is very thin, was taken over by one of the huge holding companies (New Media Investment Group), and runs two full pages of huge obituaries because they charge $200-$400 apiece for them! There is scant investigative reporting, and a lot of wire service reprints.
Local dailies and weeklies have provided readers with the pragmatic news for their lives, the stuff that’s not blaring on TV nor distorted on the internet: school board meetings, visiting entertainment, Eagle Scouts, library events, local police reports, road closings, local sports results, and so forth.
Ukraine, climate change, immigration, abortion—they’re important and are constantly in our face from special interest groups, politicians, and the media trying to gain ratings. But pragmatically and daily, our lives are much more affected by new tax proposals, local support groups, and proposed housing developments.
Gannett and the other huge chains have gobbled up many of these newspapers and further weakened them by cutting costs and resources, and others have simply folded. One problem is the horrific history of newspaper management, which held aloft the defense of the First Amendment while treating employees and investment in the future as non-issues. I don’t think the demise of newspapers was inevitable because of the threat of technology—many more people purchase hard copy books today than electronic ones, despite the dire predictions about the death of conventional books—but I do think that the profession/industry has been far too complacent for too long.
And that now hurts us all.
Postscript: I’m the only non-journalist to ever receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Press Institute, and one of only eight such recipients in total over decades. Several years ago the API itself folded because the newspapers supporting it (the aforementioned Providence Journal was a founding partner) refused to continue to pay for that support. The API’s historic main role: To train and educate newspaper managers and journalists at all levels to improve their skills.
My father was born in the year 1900 in South Carolina, and he grew up at a time where being an African-American child in the American South was to be deprived of access to anything close to a reasonable education. He only had three years of formal education, but he was self-taught. He read two newspapers a day. —Kenneth Frazier
From the beginning on, newspapers have prospered for one reason: giving readers the news that they want. —Rupert Murdoch
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. —Thomas Jefferson
NEW! Alan’s Avisory Suite: Nine options for groups or individuals to receive “real time” coaching to build their practices and lives on a continuing basis. Thr strongest, best people in business, entertainment, sports, the media—all use coaches. https://alanweiss.
Alan Weiss’s Coaching Confidential Newsletter™: Sign up to receive my unique, monthly, highly targeted newsletter which contains inventive coaching methodology, case studies, and strange experiences in the coaching trade! I’ve coached thousands of business executives and entrepreneurs globally: https://alanweiss.co
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World: I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It’s only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI? We have over 500 people from 47 countries. https://milliondoll
NEW: Million Dollar Consulting® for the World ADVANCED: The new program is available in March, you can order now, and it contains over 60 videos and has 15 modules focusing on what to do in the buyer’s office, overcoming crises, financial planning, and much, much more. https://alanweiss.com/gr
NEW: MASTER MASTER CLASS: On March 21-23 (2.5 days) I’m offering a unique session into my own success and techniques, and how I see things that others don’t, enabling rapid agreements and high-fee, low-labor projects. Can you identify patterns and contradictions in others’ behavior? Can you respond “in the moment” with a pithy example or quote? Can you produce social proof immediately for your ideas and approaches? Can you readily identify the most likely influence on a prospect? I can, and I’ll show you how in this intense session that’s going to be one-time only. You can attend this in person or virtually! $5,000, includes most meals (but not virtually!). https://alanweiss
SENTIENT STRATEGY, my new book, will be released in March. It’s a revolutionary approach being facilitated by over 70 people in five countries. Here’s how you can reserve advanced copies of the book and gain bonuses for doing so: https://alanweiss.com/sent
NEW: Building Self-Worth: My overwhelming experience is that people over deliver and under charge because they don’t feel they deserve any better. They cede power and fear confrontion and constantly compromise because they don’t feel good about themselves. I invite you to end those beliefs and enjoy a healthier, happier, and more prosperous life in this 90-minute Zoom session which will make you far more effective as a business person and far more delighted with your life. Use your power. https://alanweiss.com/g
Sentient Strategy Certification: March 6-7, 5 pm US eastern time (9am the next day in many parts of the Pacific, 2 pm US west coast), three hours each day. My new book on the topic (above) releases in later March so this is an ideal time to market Sentient Strategy. Write me to apply, join over 60 people certified in six countries. One-time fee of $12,000, includes 90 days of my support, free admission to all future certifications, and admission to a private web board with other Sentient facilitators. Last chance to register. alan@
Vancouver Day: I’ll be providing a full day in Vancouver for as little as $300 (US) including lunch on September 9: How to Dramatically Increase Revenues while Radically Reducing Labor. I’ll be returning from an Alaskan cruise and need the money to pay for it! This is a rare appearance in Western Canada. Write to me for details: [email protected]
