All this talk about the City’s last news stand has me thinking what can make news stands work in San Francisco (the image above is from SF), but all but non-existant here? Is is the quality of the newspapers? The lack of foot-traffic? The lack of transit? I think so.
I really think that the Seattle Times and PI’s futures would be brighter with more transit riders: how many people and reading and driving: virtually none. In San Francisco there are even free daily papers, something unimaginable here in Seattle.
You make a good point. In London, they have a free rag as well called the Metro.
I subscribe to the Seattle Times and read it in the bus. When I drive I have to read the paper before leaving home, and that means I typical leave to drive to work later than I would when I ride the bus.
That said, I hardly see others reading newspapers on the bus, so I just think that people are moving away from doing to, and reading the news on their phones and wireless devices.
Speaking of which, will Central Link have wireless onboard, even in the tunnels?
It is true, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of newspaper reading on Metro compared to Muni or BART.
I actually embarassingly don’t know whether Central Link will have wi-fi in the tunnel. I’ll get back on that account
Required to pass a large funding bill for smooth, mass transit: an informed electorate.
Required to get an informed electorate: quality news read by the masses.
Required to have news read by the masses: smooth, mass transit.
(sigh)
Maybe the Times or P-I might want to consider focusing on the transit commuter market by switching to a tabloid size and emphasising distribution at bus stops, rail stations and Park & Ride lots. IIRC from when I last lived in Seattle, the P-I was having trouble, so maybe this could save them. I don’t recommend going to free, however. Free papers seem “less respectable” than papers that cost money, in the opinions of a lot of people, probably because most free papers are “leftoid” alternative rags or (at least here in the Midwest) published by the same people who publish the major dailies but aimed at the 21-30 age bracket primairily to advertise drinking and partying places….
A tabiod size would definitely help bus readers! But the broadsheet is still seen as more respectable in traditionalist America, and I don’t know if we’ll see the switch. Most London papers have switched already.
I wish it were true that virtually no people were reading and driving. I’ll never forget the things I saw drivers doing while I waved my pro-Monorail sign at the entrance to the West Seattle Bridge. Very scary.
[John], the free newspapers [andrew] is talking about are the largest SF newspapers (Chronicle and Times). They normally charge for the papers, but hand them out for free at BART stations as a marketing tool.
Comment by Matt the Engineer
2008-08-22 09:54:44
[John], the free newspapers [andrew] is talking about are the largest SF newspapers (Chronicle and Times). They normally charge for the papers, but hand them out for free at BART stations as a marketing tool.
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Sorry, Matt, I thought you were talking about the Examiner, which used to be a paid daily broadsheet but is now a free daily tabloid
The London Times, arguably the best known newspaper in the world, switched to tabloid only in 2003. I believe they also use the free in tube stations, pay elsewhere model.
The PI is unfortunately owned by a national company (Hearst).
That shouldn’t matter. They also own the SF Chronicle.
Many people have a hard time reading in the car, much less a jerky bus…
Reading in the bus isn’t a problem IMO. However, people don’t seem to like sitting next to a person reading a newspaper as it blocks their view out the windows.
When I lived in L.A., there were a number of them near where I lived, both on the street and in storefronts. I never had need to purchase a newspaper or magazine (or take mass transit for that matter) but they were nearby when I was out walking.
I think the biggest key would be walkability.
But I wonder if – at least for on-street – weather might also be an issue? Maybe they need kiosks like in “The Truman Show”? Or to be sold at all of the thousands of drive-through espresso kiosks?
Oh come on now, the Seattle Stranger is still a local “Free Rag”!
Maybe Seattle is to tech savvy and green for wasting paper that only gets wet in the rain and have opted to tote the Amazon Kindle!
Besides the options for news, reading material and blogging can be so much more dynamic on a Kindle verses the old one dimensional fish wrapper.
Just a thought…