Mark Cuban: Newspaper Websites Should Focus on Unique Stories

By: E&P Staff Entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban writes on his blog today that newspapers' websites should focus more on differentiating their content and creating a unique experience, and less on speed in breaking news.

He says that often news sites will slap up a quick Associated Press story rather than taking the time to produce solidly written, insightful copy.

"Depth and differentiation beat speed and regurgitation," writes Cuban. "I read the NY Times business section with a grain of salt, knowing it can be less than factual, but I read it every day. I know that they differentiate themselves by finding topics of interest to me that I can't find anywhere else. If they find something I care about, the net, among other tools, allows me to find out more. The NY Times business section gets my business because their stories are different from the stories I read anywhere else. ... We have been trained that the net has all news 15 milliseconds after its 'broken' elsewhere. But if I know that you are the sole home of in depth coverage on things I care about, you got me."

Cuban also suggested that newspapers shouldn't waste money and newsprint printing AP stories, but should instead print a list of interesting stories sourced outside of the paper.

"Syndicated stories don't help you, they hurt you," he writes. "It kills your brand. It makes you look like an outlet that puts regurgitation over origination. Not the way a paper or website for that matter, wants to be branded."