Good newspaper, bad newspaper.
In the past, a “New York Times” liked to weigh several kilograms. In no other country in the Western world did the reader get more printed paper for so little money. Even in 2009, the flagship of US daily newspapers with seven issues a week is cheap, too cheap. Despite price increases in the past, a seven-day subscription costs just $23.40 a month. If you want to have the “New York Times” only in the office, you pay only $15.20 (€10.68) for the delivery from Monday to Friday.
For comparison: The “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” – seven days a week – costs 44.50 euros per month. On weekdays, the subscription amounts to 39.80 euros.
The New York Times is no exception in the US newspaper market. On the contrary, almost all regional newspapers, which still dominate the newspaper landscape between Manhattan and Santa Monica, demand even lower subscription prices. This avenges itself bitterly in the recession. According to industry estimates, the newspaper publishers achieved only 20 to 25 percent of their sales revenues.
In Germany, it is well over 40 percent. Many local publishers from Axel Springer to Gruner + Jahr have increased their subscription and street selling prices over the past few months, given the sluggish advertising market. Therefore, it is only a matter of time, when the leaves in the Federal Republic on average achieve half of their sales revenues.
The newspapers fell into the trap because of the collapse of the US bank Lehman Brothers in the autumn of 2008. Advertising expenses for newspapers, magazines, radio, television and outdoor advertising are falling in almost all major media markets around the world. Online continues to grow, but also slows down significantly. The newspapers, which like Wall Street Journal or New York Times have massively invested in their online services, can benefit only rudimentarily.
The newspapers, which like Wall Street Journal or New York Times have massively invested in their online services, can benefit only rudimentarily. The gap between declining advertising revenues in print and rising online advertising prices is by no means inferior. In most cases, it opens even further.