The future of the humble newspaper has been debated and discussed over the past few years. In 2006 The Economist famously asked ‘Who killed the newspaper?’ Well, no one. Yet. But just last week, the French daily  Le Monde was ‘put up for sale’ as it was losing €25 million a year. A decision on the new owner is expected in a few days.

With rising printing costs and falling advertising revenue media moguls are trying to be innovative. Later this month The Times and The Sunday Times will start charging for online content. A move watched closely by other newspapers, and dismissed by many more. Last year the London Evening Standard became a freesheet in a bid to boost circulation and attract higher ad revenues. But its not just the printed papers which are in trouble. Online only papers, (pure player), can also run into trouble. A few days ago, the Dutch English daily NRC International suspended publication. It will focus on providing its news in Dutch only.

This week, The Economist had an audio conversation (Rethinking the newspaper industry) with Peter Collins (online business and finance editor) and Joel Budd (media editor) discussing ‘the not-so-grim future of the newspaper industry.’ They say that papers are doing pretty well despite predictions of their extinction. Though not ‘rolling in money’ many papers are making decent profits. The cite Brazil as an example of an emerging country where, due to a growing and sizeable middle class, the newspaper industry is growing.

With the global release of the iPad last month, in April MediaWatch had a special on whether such tablets will be the answer to newspapers ills. Are global news organisations hoping that the iPad “can do for the news media what the iPod did for the music industry – provide a simple, convenient way for people to pay for highly-packaged electronic news.” There is an interesting comparison of pay-for-content news sites.

Also in April Monocle Weekly had an edition devoted to the changing face of the daily newspaper. Newspaper design consultant Dr Mario García warns media proprietors and editors not to ‘clean house’. “The basis of everything we do continues to be the story…the basis of journalism is good storytelling.” Andrew Tuck the editor of Monocle observed how extraordinary “that newspapers have outsourced salvation” by not looking in “their own boardrooms to find the miracle cure for newspapers but in Apple’s board room.”

On a related note, the  2009 Olle Lecture on the future of the media given by Julian Morrow is an entertaining read and listen. On another related note. The new 24 hour news channel from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC News 24 is set to launch this year. My sources tell me piloting is underway and it is set to launch in July. Will it be an Australian version of the BBC WorldService?

Photo: NRC International ends daily operations and my copy of the International Herald Tribune on the Deutsche Bahn to Copenhagen early last year.