Is The Observer on the way out?
At 218 years old, The Observer is the world’s longest-running Sunday newspaper. But if reports are to be believed it might not make it to 219, as Guardian Media Group (GMG) looks at ways to cut costs after losing nearly £90 million in the year to March 29.
From a personal and professional perspective this would be terrible news. Personally I think the music, sport and food monthlies are among the best magazines in the UK and with my PR hat on, The Observer has led the way when it comes to looking at the environment and green technology, areas where tech and corporate PR has been very focused of late.
The end of print media has long been discussed for years but this would surely be a landmark day for those that predict it’s demise? Is there any long-term hope for newspapers? I’ve always believed print would pull through but I am getting less certain by the day…
Tags: PR, print media, The Observer
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Comments (3)
August 6th, 2009 at 8:47 pm Posted by Steve Earl
Newspapers won’t be newspapers for much longer. Because news is now best broken online. They should be called something else, because what they now do (or at least what their reader value now is) is provide insight and explanations.
The Observer is struggling for one reason IMHO - at the top end of the group organisation seem to be a bunch of people with their heads wedged up their arses so far they couldn’t see what was coming 10 years ago. It’s our loss, and their pile of toss to sort out.
Then again, Explanationpapers would sound like a complete pile of wank. But someone should come up with a new name for them.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:02 am Posted by Nick
Has anyone noticed that the News International owned Sunday Times broke this story about the Guardian Group owned Observer not long after the Guardian broke the story of New International journalists hacking the phones of celebrities. Just sayin!
August 7th, 2009 at 11:58 am Posted by PaulieA
i think the observer is still a good paper that’s the shame. It has some brilliant writers and excellent supplements and you would have hoped that is enough. You are right about news though Steve, maybe others will follow? not convinced people will pay for news international online content in significant numbers though
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