Bo Sacks posted this article from PressGazette. Why Salt Lake Tribune is gambling one third of revenue by ditching paywall.
This reminds me of the “pay it forward” concept I’ve seen at some coffee shops and breweries.
The Tribune wants people to support it because “local journalism is important.”
That may be true, but it’s far too vague. How is it important? How does local journalism support the community? How does a citizen benefit from strong local journalism? How do local businesses benefit?
The Tribune needs to make that case explicitly.
For example, strong local journalism can mean better awareness of local events, greater civic involvement, more accountability in local government, and a stronger sense of connection to the community, which might convert to something tangible like better house prices. At a minimum it might mean there are more people at the main street festival.
Local journalism provides an opportunity for people to hear what’s going on locally, to learn about local organizations, and to understand issues that affect them. That’s good for the reader, but here’s the big question.
Why is it good for me (the reader) to make sure my neighbor reads the local paper?
Make that case!
There’s also a potential pitch to local businesses. Is it possible to move them beyond being simply potential advertisers to being stakeholders?
Does strong local journalism help to create the kind of community in which local businesses thrive? Does a vibrant downtown, active civic organizations, informed citizens, and successful community events ultimately benefit everyone, including businesses — even if they never buy an ad?
The challenge (if the Tribune allows businesses to sponsor them) is preserving credibility. If local businesses become significant financial supporters, readers will naturally ask, “Who’s paying for this?” The Tribune needs a mechanism that allows community support without creating the perception that coverage can be influenced by donors.
In any event, “local journalism is important” makes the local journalist feel good, but it needs to motivate everybody else. It needs some meat on those bones.