Self-flagellation

Alan Mutter:

Customers only buy products – or, in the case of newspapers, use them for free on the Internet – because they see a value in them. They don’t do it because they feel sorry for the vendor or the vendor feels sorry for himself.

Yet, newspapers can’t seem to stop their incessant self-flagellation over the challenges facing their industry.

If you want to see how silly this is, ask yourself this: What are the chances General Motors would buy the following ad?

“Sure, we know we make lousy, gas-guzzling cars that are expensive and unreliable. Sure, we know our market share is dropping because we have inferior technology and styling. Sure, we are operating in bankruptcy and needed a massive federal bailout to save a few of the jobs that we haven’t already cut. But wouldn’t you like to buy a car from us anyway?”

Enough already.

Well said, Mr. Mutter.

Related posts:

1. Where’s the data?
2. Don’t stop the presses just yet
3. The lost megabytes: journalism’s wasted opportunity
4. Should papers hold back some stories as print exclusives?
5. Why do people pay for the Wall Street Journal online?