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Case Study

Lost for words – Newspapers’ digital future

By John W. Walsh and Lisa Simone Duke

14 pages

December 2016

Reference: IMD-7-1588

For nearly 170 years, newspapers enjoyed the privileged position of informing readers of local, regional and international news. Since 1833 the standard business model was largely driven by advertising revenues in the US and from advertising revenues, sales and subscriptions in Europe. Then came the internet. Ad revenues and circulation declined as both advertisers and consumers switched to the often free, immediate and timely digital medium. Newspapers were slow to capitalize on the opportunities and found their very existence threatened. Faced with a business model that no longer delivered, how should print newspapers respond? Was there a solution? Or just a slow and inevitable death? This industry note investigates various actions taken by newspapers and what further needed to be done.

Learning Objective

Business model strategy and development.

Keywords

Newspaper, Business Model, Digital Transformation, Threat, Opportunity, Strategy, Development

Settings

World/global
Media, Newspapers
21st Century

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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