Comments on: Who Will Tell Michiganders?

By: David Waymire

David Waymire — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:45:07 +0000

Lower prices is the way that the papers have committed suicide. If you have something of value, raise the price. Giving news away for free is the source of the problem.

Now, if a paper wanted to give its readers access, and paid MIRS or Gongwer a huge fee to cover the cost of reporting in lieu of hiring its own staff, that would be different.

But online, for free, is a prescription for failure.

By: doxie53

doxie53 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:07:40 +0000

Get MIRS and Gongwer to the people. No one is reading either because they are not priced right. Die from lack of readership or live by finding a fair price for the product. Lower the subscription rate and people will beat a path to your door.

By: Cole7

Cole7 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:38:02 +0000

Find a way for MIRS and Gongwer to go public. No idea how. Grants maybe. Perhaps it could be affordable if they stick to no frills (no photo/video/blogs etc.) and just deliver straight news as they do now.

That way, at least the information is out there, and can be picked up by what’s left of the “regular” media, much in the way that the AP is the default news source today.

Would people pay attention? Good question. But it would be better than nothing – and that is where we are heading if current trends continue.