Data Differentiates Newspaper Vs. Online News Reader Characteristics (SCOR, JRC, MNI, NYT, JRN, GCI)

If you have read any of our commentary or probably most other commentary online, you know that newspapers are not exactly the next growth engine in the economy.  In fact, they are probably losing the same percentage of their client base at the same rate as Southern California loses smokers.  Tonight we saw a report out of comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) that outlines some of the differences between online news readers and newspaper readers.  You can read that full report from comScore here.

We actually run a newsletter called the "Old Media/New Media Newsletter" here that our own Doug McIntyre produces each week.  We make the case for or against certain media properties such as newspapers, radio, cable, television, and the internet.  Believe it or not, we actually just covered some newspapers that we identified as survivors.  Sure some we covered as likely funeral candidates as well.  This went out Sunday night to our readers and we’ve just taken it off embargo if you would like to read a copy. 

Companies mentioned in the report are Journal Register (NYSE: JRC), McClatchy (NYSE: MNI), Journal News (NYSE: JRN), Gannett (NYSE: GCI), The Washington Post (NYSE: WPO), and the New York Times (NYSE: NYT).  Not all of those are buys, but some will actually survive the secular trend working against the sector.  Take a Test ride.

Jon C. Ogg
March 13, 2008