Newspapers Slow Declines in Ads

Most franchises who advertise have been hearing for years that the newspaper industry is dying, due in great measure to declines in print advertising versus the growth of Internet on-line ads.Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, said in July that print-ad revenue fell 6%, the smallest decline for that company in three years.

But look at this counter-trend:

"Despite a highly competitive environment, online-advertising growth rebounded back into double digits, while declines in traditional revenue categories continue to moderate as the general advertising recovery progresses," said John Sturm, chief executive of the Newspaper Advertising Association, in a statement. "The fact that online now represents nearly 12% of overall newspaper advertising revenues bodes well for our medium's future in an increasingly digital environment."

This Wall Street Journal article indicates that newspapers, recently considered by some to be a vast wasteland for ad dollars, are making a comeback.