Singleton Urges Newspapers To Embrace Web

By: Joe Strupp Urging newspapers to use the Internet and media convergence to grow readership, William Dean Singleton told the Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) meeting here that focusing on local news was the key to newspapers' survival.

Singleton, vice-chair and CEO of MediaNews Group Inc. of Denver and the current chairman of the Newspaper Association of America, cited the ability of most daily papers to have an exclusive hold on local news and affairs, Singleton told the packed lunchtime crowd Friday that newspapers can offset growing Internet, TV, and other competition by giving hometown readers the hometown report.

"It's the content, stupid," Singleton said, taking a page from political consultant James Carville's famous line about the economy. "Local connection is the name of the game in our business. We have to keep talking about it and strengthening it."

Singleton reminded editors that even though circulation has fallen nationally, 56 million newspapers are still printed each day. "More people still read the Sunday paper than watch the Super Bowl," he said. "Our readers rank high in income. Even with the decline, we are holding up better than most media."

But, Singleton stressed, papers will not move forward in profits and circulation if they do not set themselves apart from other media. "We need to use the strength in our local communities to grow readership," he said.

Citing findings in a recent study from the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, Singleton pointed out that the keys to improving local ties -- beyond coverage -- include better customer service, branding, promoting content, and writing about what readers want to read. He said the study showed more readers want to see stories about "ordinary people" than politics, war, or government.

"Readers also say they want relevance," he said. "They want content to be as varied as they are."

Singleton, whose company owns 51 dailies, cited the growing diversity of readers as an issue newspapers need to consider when trying to improve circulation. Referring to the growth of Hispanic, Asian-American, and African-American communities, he urged editors to target more coverage of issues important to all ethnic groups, as well as improving racial hiring.

"We need to get serious and specific on when content is relative to the community," Singleton told the crowd. "That local community is more diverse." He drew hearty applause when he warned that continuing to cut back newsroom resources would spell the end of newspapers. "Newsroom cutbacks have gone far enough," Singleton declared. "Maybe too far."

Admitting that when the Internet first appeared he was skeptical of its ability to make a difference, Singleton said Friday he had "become a believer." He urged editors to embrace the Web and use it along with other media -- such as TV and wireless options -- to expand their newspapers' reach.

"No one is in a bigger position to be the winner on the Internet than a newspaper is," he said, adding that when federal cross-ownership rules are reformed, newspapers should do everything they can to create convergence models.

"The promise of media convergence is real," Singleton stressed. "It will change everything we do. We will be able to reach readers' needs on all angles."