According to a journalism watchdog, the amount of revenue projected for the nation’s newspapers for the entire year of 2009 are comparable to 1965 levels, adjusting for inflation. The information comes from the Columbia Journalism Review. Its watching revenue figures dwindle. From 2006-2008, the string went $49.3B-$45.4B-$37.8B, and is heading towards $31.6B when 2009 comes home. Someone at CJR got out a calculator and discovered the 1965 connection.
RBR/TVBR observation: Newspaper is a very local business, and broadcasters should be in just about the best position to capture the dollars newspapers are losing. But that requires being local, too. If belt-tightening has forced a broadcast outlet off the streets and robbed it of its unique local flavor, lost newspaper cash is going to land somewhere else.
