Why is the Reader trying to put itself out of business?

[CC]

I understand that there's a great conversation happening someplace about the role of newspapers, internet newspaper websites, and the emerging relationship between them. I have not seen anything that answers this question: Why, when I'm reading a paper - I have it in my hands - is the owner of the paper directing me to a website to continue reading? I am not AT the computer. I am not interested in looking on the website - I am, in fact, holding the goddammed paper in my hands. If the Reader, and other papers, are finding paper newspapers to be unprofitable, and there is more money to be earned from internet presence, then why don't they just shut down now? It seems to me that the Reader, in continuing Cecil's columns away from my hands and onto my computer are propping up the paper's "competition." They're hastening their own demise that way, aren't they? I don't get it (obviously). Either that, or I am questioning their economic judgment, which is probably better than mine since it's at least better informed. Any insights into this annoying part of today's papers?

[samclem]

By putting Cecil's column "on line," the Reader is just doing what it's done for over 10 years now. And 10 years ago, there really wasn't much of a drain from newspaper advertising to the computer. That's what it's all about. Advertising.

If the Reader had NEVER put Cecil's column online, the demise of the print newspaper would still be occuring with the same speed it is the last few years.

Hell, the New York Times doesn't even have a Cecil, and they're going down the tubes!

The Reader is not helping the competition, rather they're bailing the lifeboat as fast as they can while trying to find some solution that makes them a buck from anything other than the print media.

[CC]

I don't see an answer to my question. Why do they make me stop reading the paper version and go look on line? And why don't they do that with every article they print?

[IAmNotSpartacus]

Is the Reader having problems making money? I thought it was the parent (Creative Loafing) that couldn't pay its bills

[Ed Zotti]

Originally Posted by CC

I don't see an answer to my question. Why do they make me stop reading the paper version and go look on line? And why don't they do that with every article they print?

You can read the Straight Dope in its entirety in the newspaper just like always. The idea of TSD was to get you to go to the local record store or whatever every Thursday night and pick up the Reader. It worked. Straight Dope Chicago is a new column, the intention of which is to get you to turn to our Website every Thursday. Whether that's going to work remains to be seen, but we hope it does, because printing newspapers is expensive, and putting up Web pages is cheap. If you've got a Web-enabled phone, viewing SDC will soon get easier - we hope to launch a collection of mobile device apps in three or four weeks.

[Shepy]

I know (or think?) Straight Dope Chicago is in its relative infancy, but it seems strange that there's no obvious link from straightdope.com. Is this a conscious decision? If I remember correctly, a month ago or so there was an easy-to-find link to SDC from the main straight dope page, along with "about Cecil" and so forth.

[Ed Zotti]

Originally Posted by Shepy

I know (or think?) Straight Dope Chicago is in its relative infancy, but it seems strange that there's no obvious link from straightdope.com. Is this a conscious decision? If I remember correctly, a month ago or so there was an easy-to-find link to SDC from the main straight dope page, along with "about Cecil" and so forth.

It's something I mean to add as soon as I can get the tech guys on it.

[TubaDiva]

If you look at the Threadspotting column every Thursday you'll see a link to the current Straight Dope Chicago. Not a perfect solution but a start.

[SCSimmons]

I get there from the link in the weekly SD e-mail newsletter.

What--you're not subscribed to the e-mail list? What's wrong with you?

[rowrrbazzle]

The cooler summer article was linked in the weather section of yesterday's Daywatch email from the Trib. It should bring in some extra traffic.