News content NOT the fault of newspaper decline

The WaPost’s Paul Farhi says it’s all about the business side, including but not limited to advertising.

Speaking of advertising, Internet advertising is flat right now, he notes; papers shouldn’t look to it for salvation.

As for the content and content-related parts of websites, he suggests adding stuff like Twitter feeds. But, he adds that this will exacerbate, if anything, online advertising issues, causing already flighty online readers to spend even less time with a particular website or webpage.

The real problem? Newspaper LBOs of the last five years, combined with all the economic shit hitting the fan.

Speaking of that, the Minneapolis Star Tribune has suspended debt payments. it, Philadelphia Newspapers and others have fallen out of bond compliance.

The future? Farhi is HUGELY pessimistic for many seven-day dailies:

Some newspapers entered their death spiral months ago.

And, speaking of that, why is Sam Zell trying to sell the Cubs? The man is an idiot.

Keep the Cubs and sell everything with the Trib name on it.