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Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers? The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on regional newspapers
College of Arts, Humanities and Education School of Humanities and Journalism Richard Bowyer [email protected]
ABOUT ME
Regional journalist for 30 years;
From typewriters to new technology;
Editor-in-Chief Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers, Stoke-on-Trent;
Senior Lecturer in Journalism.
3 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
ABOUT ME
4
Research on the demise of regional
press;
Not just looking for the obvious
cause such as the rise of the web;
Looking at how the industry reacted
which hastened the decline.
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Background
5
Since 2005, 245 regional newspapers have
closed in the UK;
Journalism job losses 6,000;
Transformation of the business from print-
first to online first;
America 2,000 closures since 2004 and
30,000 job losses;
In Spain 26 closures since 2006;
In Greece, To Vima weekly and Ta Nea.
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Background
6
Cairncross Review in the UK highlighted that
the sales of national newspaper print editions
had fallen from 11.5m daily copies in 2008 to
5.8m in 2018 and regional newspapers from
63.4m weekly copies in 2007 to 31.4m in 2017;
Print advertising revenues have fallen by 69 per
cent in a decade;
Number of frontline journalists in the industry
fell from about 23,000 in 2007 to 17,000 in
2019.
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Background
7
The consequences are highlighted by
(Waterson, 2019) who describes that during the
last decade newspaper groups have merged,
staff laid off and offices closed in a final effort
to cut costs;
He adds that the result of these cuts is often a
‘single junior regional reporter left trying to fill
a town’s newspaper.’
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
What’s to blame?
8
The web…
We all agree the audience has moved;
Google and Facebook have stolen the cash..
But there are other factors….
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
9
Previous research I did was on how price increase led to rapid sales decline;
Use to go up 1p or 2p;
Dramatic rises 5p-10p;
But why?
May, 2020 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/
What’s to blame?
Revenues
10
Newspaper income was 80% advertising and 20% cover price (Hill, 2016);
When advertising collapsed had to make up for shortfall;
Now 39% advertising and 61% cover price, (Reach Plc).
[email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
My new research
11
Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers?
The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on UK regional newspapers.
May, 2020 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/
My new research
12
My first research showed decline hastened due to cover price rises;
This research looked at the effects of the web-first policy on the printed product content.
May, 2020 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/
My methods
Looked at FIVE newspapers from
different parts of England;
Four different newspaper groups;
Across 30 years, 1998, 2008, 2018
Three copies per paper per week.
13 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
My methods
I look at only news and sports stories
originated by a local reporter;
No features, letters, TV, national stories
from agencies.
14 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
My methods
Also spoke to four media experts to add their views on story count and local voices;
Asked them their opinion of story count and the need for local voices;
What they think the effect the web has had on stories in newspaper.
15 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
My methods
Why I spoke to the experts was so I
could decide as to whether story
count and local voices were important
to a newspaper;
Also, whether is it fair to measure the
‘demise’ of newspapers around story
numbers and voices?
16 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
My methods
So my methods were both qualitative
and quantitative;
Based on grounded theory;
I had no preconceptions, analysed
data line by line (Tracy, 2019).
17 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
The papers
Derby Telegraph
1998: 60,691 average daily sale;
2008: 35,152;
2018: 16,782;
2019: 15,029.
18 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Five different newspaper, four different
newspaper groups, from across England…
The papers
Sheffield Star
1998: 84,948 average daily sale;
2008: 47,216;
2018: 13,658;
2019: 12,609.
19 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Five different newspaper, four different
newspaper groups, from across England…
The papers
Newcastle Chronicle
1998: 109,685 average daily sale;
2008: 67,103;
2018: 20,756;
2019: 19,259.
20 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Five different newspaper, four different
newspaper groups, from across England…
The papers
Norwich News
1998: 36,458 average daily sale;
2008: 21,031;
2018: 6,765;
2019: 6,351.
21 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Five different newspaper, four different
newspaper groups, from across England…
The papers
Wolverhampton Express and Star
1998: 186,969 average daily sale;
2008: 130,216;
2018: 42,208;
2019: 38,698.
22 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Five different newspaper, four different
newspaper groups, from across England…
The results Sto
ries,
pag
es,
quo
tes
69
90 89
48 47
58
19
23
27
14 12
21
13 12
16 15 13
18
54
49
68
54
39 41
15
22
18
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Monday, May 18,
1998
Wednesday, May,
20, 1998
Friday, May 22,
1998
Monday, May 19,
2008
Wednesday, May
21, 2008
Friday, May 23,
2008
Monday, May 21,
2018
Wednesday, May
23, 2018
Friday, May 25,
2018
Derby Telegraph 1998-2018
Local News Local pages Local people
The results
42
94
61
69
55 54
18 16
25
15
19 16
18 20
30
18 19
26 25
38 35
42
55
49
17 17
32
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Monday, May 18,
1998
Wednesday, May,
20, 1998
Friday, May 22,
1998
Monday, May 19,
2008
Wednesday, May
21, 2008
Friday, May 23,
2008
Monday, May 21,
2018
Wednesday, May
23, 2018
Friday, May 25,
2018
Newcastle Chronicle 1998-2018
Local news Local pages Local people
Sto
ries,
pag
es,
quo
tes
25 27
31
58
47
56
23
32 32
8
11 12 13 11 12
17
20
17
22
19
27
39
29
42
23
34
22
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Monday, May 18,
1998
Wednesday, May,
20, 1998
Friday, May 22,
1998
Monday, May 19,
2008
Wednesday, May
21, 2008
Friday, May 23,
2008
Monday, May 21,
2018
Wednesday, May
23, 2018
Friday, May 25,
2018
Norwich News
Local news Local pages Local people
The results Sto
ries,
pag
es,
quo
tes
35 35
27
64
55
41
26
19 20
10 8 9
15
12 11 12 13
9
17
23
14
45
30
21
12
15
12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Monday, May
18, 1998
Wednesday,
May, 20, 1998
Friday, May 22,
1998
Monday, May
19, 2008
Wednesday,
May 21, 2008
Friday, May 23,
2008
Monday, May
21, 2018
Wednesday,
May 23, 2018
Friday, May 25,
2018
Sheffield Star 1998-2018
Local news Local pages Local people
The results Sto
ries,
pag
es,
quo
tes
The results
101
72
83
77
101 105
93
103 102
13 12 16
12 15 16 15
19 20
33 35
37
31
40
45 47
81
65
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Monday, May 18,
1998
Wednesday, May,
20, 1998
Friday, May 22,
1998
Monday, May 19,
2008
Wednesday, May
21, 2008
Friday, May 23,
2008
Monday, May 21,
2018
Wednesday, May
23, 2018
Friday, May 25,
2018
Wolverhampton Express and Star 1998-2018
Local news Local pages Local people
Sto
ries,
pag
es,
quo
tes
The highlight results
28 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Derby Telegraph, lowest figures:
1998: 69 stories, 49 quotes, 12 pages;
2008: 47 stories, 13 quotes, 12 pages;
2018: 19 stories, 15 quotes, 13 pages.
Derby Telegraph, highest figures:
1998: 90 stories, 68 quotes, 21 local pages;
2008: 58 stories, 54 quotes, 16 pages;
2018: 27 stories, 18 quotes, 18 pages.
The highlight results
29 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Newcastle Chronicle, lowest figures:
1998: 69 stories, 49 quotes; 12 pages;
2008: 47 stories, 39 quotes, 12 pages;
2018: 19 stories, 15 quotes, 13 pages.
Newcastle Chronicle, highest figures:
1998: 94 stories, 38 quotes, 19 local pages;
2008: 69 stories, 55 quotes, 30 pages;
2018: 25 stories, 32 quotes, 26 pages.
The highlight results
30 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Express and Star, lowest figures:
1998: 72 stories, 33 quotes; 12 pages;
2008: 77 stories, 45 quotes, 16 pages;
2018: 93 stories, 47 quotes, 15 pages.
Express and Star, highest figures:
1998: 101 stories, 37 quotes, 16 local pages;
2008: 105 stories, 45 quotes, 16 pages;
2018: 105 stories, 81 quotes, 20 pages.
The experts
31 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
I spoke to four experts about story count, the need for quotes;
Changes in the industry.
Mike
Sassi
Peter
Sands
Mark Charlton
Martin Wright
Experts’ view
32 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Readers thought there was ‘nothing’ in
newspapers;
So a feeling to give value for money
by packing full of stories;
Desire to provide more stories due to
pagination reductions.
Derby Telegraph 2019
Experts’ view
33 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Story count ‘key’ to selling the
newspaper;
Newspaper hard to sell without ‘high
story count’ (Wright, 2019);
One of the reasons for decline is that
newspapers carry fewer than a third of
local stories than they once did (Sassi,
2019);
Fewer stories was due to logistics ie fewer
staff than principles (Charlton, 2019).
Express and Star 2019
Experts’ view
34 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Demands of the web ie updates, video,
Facebook Live, audio, effects the
number of stories which can be
produced or repackaged for the
newspaper (Charlton, 2019).
Derby Telegraph 2019
Experts’ view
35 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Quotes are vital, but time restraints
mean reporters are not talking directly
to readers;
Quotes lifted from social media, some
have false names, often no names,
ages, addresses, so readers’ cannot
related to them (Charlton, 2019)
Derby Telegraph 2019
Experts’ view
36 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Balance is important so talking to
people helped this to happen and built
trust (Sassi, 2019);
Reporters going out to stories and
talking to people was essential part of
reporting (Wright, 2019).
Norwich News 2019
Findings
37 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
As a general rule the number of voices
and stories has declined;
Shown best in the figures for Derby
Telegraph and Newcastle Chronicle;
Norwich and Sheffield similar figures in
1998 and 2018, but due to style rather
than need.
Findings
38 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Wolverhampton Express and Star is an anomaly;
Prided it self in having national and local news;
Got rid of national news;
Concentrated on local news;
Reduced production staff to achieve this.
Conclusion
39 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Audience moved online;
Rapid increase in cost of newspapers;
Fewer local stories;
Less time to talk to local people;
More centralised pages.
A few thoughts
40 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Online first policy;
Lost editions, going overnight;
Closing offices, main and district;
Thinner paper;
Ink saving;
Dying readership.
A few thoughts
41 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
The web was central to the decline;
How newspapers reacted, blind panic,
accentuated the decline.
Any questions?
42 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Thank you
43 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
References
44 [email protected]; @Sightscreen; Blog: https://rbowyer62.wordpress.com/ May, 2020
Cairncross, F., 2019. The Cairncross Review. A sustainable future for journalism;
Hill, J. (2016). The British Newspaper Industry. The future of the regional press. Palgrave MacMillan;
Charlton, M,. 2019. Interviewed by Richard Bowyer for 'Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers? The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on English regional newspapers.’
Sassi, M,. 2019. Interviewed by Richard Bowyer for 'Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers? The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on English regional newspapers.’
Sands, P,. 2018. Interviewed by Richard Bowyer for 'Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers? The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on English regional newspapers.’
Tracy, S.J., 2019. Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact. Wiley;
Waterson, J., 2020. Read all about it? How local papers’ decline is starving communities of news;
Wright, M,. 2019. Interviewed by Richard Bowyer for 'Where have all the stories and voices gone in local newspapers? The effect falling advertising revenues and the rise of the web have had on English regional newspapers. '