Do Newspaper Paywalls Dumb Down or Protect Quality Journalism?
INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.
Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, interviewed David Dozier who is a leading media authority.
In the digital age, daily newspapers struggle to survive. For over a century, newspapers depended on advertising for the bulk of their revenues. With the coming of the Internet, social media, and targeted digital advertising, newspaper ad revenues dried up. In response, elite or prestige newspapers like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post built paywalls (subscriptions) to access online versions of the newspapers. Since 2010, subscription revenues have increased for most U.S. newspapers from 20% to 50% of overall revenues. What are the risks and benefits of subscribers—rather than advertisers—paying for the news? Some argue that in order to attract more digital subscribers, editors and reporters will “dumb down” quality journalism to the “lowest common denominator.” Others argue that the cost of subscribing will create greater elitism among prestige newspapers. Subscribers tend to be better educated and earn higher incomes than non-subscribers. This may worsen the “knowledge gap” between subscribers and non-subscribers. Who’s right? The jury is still out. (See DavidDozierBooks.com.)
The Price of Business is one of the longest running shows of its kind in the country and is in markets coast to coast. The Host, Kevin Price, is a multi-award winning author, broadcast journalist, and syndicated columnist. He is Editor at Large for this site. Learn more about the show and its digital partners at www.PriceofBusiness.com.
David Dozier (DavidDozierBooks.com) is the author of the novel, The California Killing Field. He is a professor emeritus in the School of Journalism & Media Studies, San Diego State University. He’s an internationally recognized expert on communication management and public relations.
According to USA Business Radio, “David Dozier is a scholar of public relations and communication management, professor emeritus in the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University, and author of The California Killing Field. He says fake news has become a phenomenon, political campaigns use the tactic to influence voters, and that it’s perplexing that a conspiracy-based group such as QAnon has gained national attention.
Kevin Price and David Dozier are doing a multi-part series on this important topic that will be on many different platforms, as well as on radio. Keep an eye out for the series throughout the Price of Business Digital Network and USA Business Radio.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE
