The NPR Model

While reading Newsonomics this week, I fluctuated from feeling excited about the wide open possibilities digital journalism has to offer to feeling depressed about the financial situation and difficulties ahead for new journalists. Perhaps the biggest theme that stuck out to me was the evolution of newspaper ownership and how often and for what reasons a paper exchanged hands. Based on the way Ken Doctor explained it, it seems the papers that are owned by large parent companies that own multiple medias have the benefit, financially and with coverage, of being able to gain revenue apart from the traditional 80/20 ad-to-subscription split.

Doctor also wrote about some recent start-ups and independent organizations trying the 'NPR' model of relying on member contributions for revenue. This may be difficult now, but in the long run I think newspapers, news sites and even blogs could switch to this method. As a big fan of NPR and the 'NPR' model, I think it could go even on step further. NPR has over 200 member stations operating across the country. Each member station has it's own staff, programming and unique style that it brings to its community. In addition, national news programming from NPR's headquarters gets air time in each member station for "larger" news stories.

I think eventually newspapers should go this way as well. Have one large organization that covers national and international news from its headquarters. To pair with that, a whole host of local newspapers and news sites can function in their own communities, stay local, and not have to stretch to cover everything. A symbiotic relationship in which everyone can win.