Newspapers Still Relevant?

With the onslaught of all things digital, lots of folks are predicting the demise of the traditional newspaper. Of course these same folks say the same about television advertising and print magazines, and I don't necessarily agree. With newspapers, though, even I'm not sure where it will all go.

The key for any brand is to stay relevant, and to continually add value to your changing customers' lives. As soon as your brand is no longer as relevant, then a better alternative will take its place.

The truth is that traditional media outlets still produce the most news, but interestingly the newer outlets I believe are becoming more and more relevant. I personally get more of my news from Twitter and Facebook than anywhere else. Sure, it's filtered by a friend or follower, but that's how I generally hear about something first. Or the Yahoo! home page. Or bloggers. These outlets have made it into my life because they help me, so I go to them first.

Let's look at The Wall Street Journal, as an example, because there has been so much speculation about that brand lately.

For the first time in 35 years, The Wall Street Journal did not win a single award at the Gerald Loeb Awards for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. Earlier in the year, The Wall Street Journal also walked away empty handed from the Pulitzer Prizes. Almost never happens.

The paper still dominates the news, and their circulation is actually up ... but are they losing their edge? Is the brand keeping relevant?

Perhaps it's all just a sign of the times.

What's your experience? Jim.