[BN] Blitz, Media, Pay Walls, Journalism Survival, etc...

[SDS]

If anyone is looking for my support against the Buffalo News paywall, you are barking up the wrong tree. It's their content. It's their business. Complaining about the media has become bloodsport in this country and it has risen to destructively absurd levels.

 

Readers rail against low-quality "clickbait" when the content is free, but if the publication tries to offer higher quality for a SMALL price - people freak out and pound their fist on how they will never pay for something that they think should be free.

 

NOTHING IS FREE.

 

Everyone wants high quality journalism, but no one wants to support a business model that actually employs people with talent to create that high quality journalism.

 

If the Buffalo News made $3 per 1000 clicks on an article, one reader would have to read 1000 articles in one month for them to generate the same revenue as one subscriber. It's absurd.

 

Everyone talks about getting their news for "free" elsewhere. What publication is going to produce a piece like Tim Graham did about Darryl Talley? Some blogger on a fan site? How much time and resources did that piece consume in production? Do you think that was covered in "clicks"? If you want an education in the publishing business, read this from The AthleticTO published earlier this year:

 

https://theathletic.com/40690/2017/02/27/letter-from-the-editor-why-the-athletic-has-a-paywall/

 

THAT is what you need to know about today's market. It sucks. Stop expecting talented people to work for peanuts. And the "news" you find here comes mainly from paid professional writers. When they go away, the news here goes away. Then all you will have is Chris Brown and Bills press releases to no one.

 

The Buffalo News is asking for $12 for the ENTIRE season. There are cities in this country that pay more than that for one hour of minimum wage work. there are a thousand ways to illustrate just how small an amount that is for 4 months worth of content.

 

If Jerry Sullivan isn't what you want to read for $12 a season, send in a letter to the BN. Tell them to hire better quality AND you will support them with subscriber fees. But they have other writers and produce a lot more content than just him at the moment.

 

Ultimately, this is about the getting what you pay for, regardless of the publication. Journalism was ALWAYS a pay to play endeavor for 100 years. They tried 15 years of ad-supported "free". It's failing. Find a publication you value and subscribe. I subscribe to the New York Times for this very purpose. Attitudes need to change.

 

The amount of hysteria surrounding $3/month is appalling. You don't have to subscribe, but stop expecting something for nothing or something for too little.

[YoloinOhio]

Well said; I completely agree and as I said in the other thread, It's less than a cup of coffee per month. I don't read Jerry Sullivan but I do read many of the others. I don't understand the outrage, though I suppose it must be a matter of principle. That's to each their own I guess, but don't really get it.

[Watkins90]

Is it free with a Buffalo news subscription?

[YoloinOhio]

Is it free with a Buffalo news subscription?

yep

[NewEra]

I agree with you Scott. We should pay for premium articles...... that are well thought out and put together. Once in awhile, one of these guys comes up with an article worth reading. The problem is, 99% of the articles published by the BN are trash. I get 100% better info off this board. If the BN wants to charge, they should get rid of the hacks they currently employ and get writers on their payroll that are worth paying for. Currently, they are not. If we pay for these hacks, these hacks will keep their jobs. Imo, they aren't worthy. I'd pay $20 a month.....if the content was worth my time. It is not

Edited September 16, 2017 by NewEra

[Fortunesmith]

There's really no need to complain about the BN paywall since it's ridiculously easy to get around it. I also disagree that anything else short of a paying money for news content is freeloading - getting eyes on advertisements is worth something.

[Buffalo Boy]

I pay for my local papers online subscription in Charlotte as well as Sunday delivery.

I never use the online subscription directly.

However, the local reporters are theoneswho are going to dig into the local news. If I hear something on the radio locally that interests me, I check through google news which brings me back to the Charlotte Observer.

The idea that the media is the one at fault is what those who don't like exposure favor.

[SDS]

I agree with you Scott. We should pay for premium articles...... that are well thought out and put together. Once in awhile, one of these guys comes up with an article worth reading. The problem is, 99% of the articles published by the BN are trash. I get 100% better info off this board. If the BN wants to charge, they should get rid of the hacks they currently employ and get writers on their payroll that are worth paying for. Currently, they are not. If we pay for these hacks, these hacks will keep their jobs. Imo, they aren't worthy. I'd pay $20 a month.....if the content was worth my time. It is not

 

Then you need to send your thoughts into Josh Barnett, the new BN sports editor. I would give examples of the poor writing you find for each author listed in your letter.

 

The opinions on this board are often formulated through the consumption of others, BN writers included, plus the interviews, stats and analysis they present, etc... No one here lives in a vacuum. The $12/season price isn't exactly a high dollar vote of confidence. It keeps the doors open and the bills paid.

[DC Tom]

If anyone is looking for my support against the Buffalo News paywall, you are barking up the wrong tree.

 

What? People are doing that?

[smuvtalker]

SDS,

 

I agree with you in the sense that "you get what you pay for". When I go to Wal-Mart to do our family's weekly shopping, there are certain things I buy for value. If I want to get some headache relief, I buy Great Value headache relief, because it's 3 dollars a bottle for 50 tablets, vs Tylenol which is double that for the same amount. Then there are some things I buy for the quality. I will gladly spend 20 dollars a bottle for Tide laundry detergent vs 6 dollars for a bottle of bargain laundry detergent, because I know it's going to get our clothes clean, be less harsh on the fabric, plus make our clothes smell great. Now these are just my opinions, and I'm sure others may disagree, but you get my point.

 

I don't think that 3 dollars a month is alot to ask, in fact it's actually pretty affordable. I've been reading Buffalo News articles for over 15 years now, and in my opinion the article quality has decreased over time. There used to be a time when I was reading informative, un-biased, thorough, and concise journalism. Nowadays it's the same opinionated, boring, re-washed, negative reading that is more or less saying the same thing I read yesterday, just with a different "i" dotted or a different "t" crossed. Don't get me wrong, I still prefer the Buffalo News articles vs the lower grade competitors, but I find the reading increasingly more difficult to digest. Couple that with the fact that we are used to getting this content for free, and now you are downgrading the quality of the product, yet asking us to now pay for what we are used to getting for free.

 

I get it, times are changing, everything in this world costs, and nothing is free. Someone has to pay the writers salaries, and I understand that. But you also can't blame people for coming on here and voicing their displeasure at being asked to pay for a product that they are used to getting for free, especially when that product is seemingly more and more watered down by the day.

 

Personally, I prefer the Buffalo News to all of the other sites on Two Bills Drive, and if I have no choice, I will pay for the monthly membership. If I'm given a choice, obviously I'd rather get it for free.

[SDS]

There's really no need to complain about the BN paywall since it's ridiculously easy to get around it. I also disagree that anything else short of a paying money for news content is freeloading - getting eyes on advertisements is worth something.

 

"ridiculously easy to get around it"

 

Way to stick it to the man bro. Make sure you grab extra mints and toothpicks on the way out.

 

"I also disagree that anything else short of a paying money for news content is freeloading - getting eyes on advertisements is worth something. "

 

Yet, no one said that. I TOLD you what it is worth. The article I linked to told you what it is worth. Publications are starting to tell you it isn't worth enough. Educate yourself instead of defending your ability to save 10 cents per day.

[SDS]

SDS,

 

I agree with you in the sense that "you get what you pay for". When I go to Wal-Mart to do our family's weekly shopping, there are certain things I buy for value. If I want to get some headache relief, I buy Great Value headache relief, because it's 3 dollars a bottle for 50 tablets, vs Tylenol which is double that for the same amount. Then there are some things I buy for the quality. I will gladly spend 20 dollars a bottle for Tide laundry detergent vs 6 dollars for a bottle of bargain laundry detergent, because I know it's going to get our clothes clean, be less harsh on the fabric, plus make our clothes smell great. Now these are just my opinions, and I'm sure others may disagree, but you get my point.

 

I don't think that 3 dollars a month is alot to ask, in fact it's actually pretty affordable. I've been reading Buffalo News articles for over 15 years now, and in my opinion the article quality has decreased over time. There used to be a time when I was reading informative, un-biased, thorough, and concise journalism. Nowadays it's the same opinionated, boring, re-washed, negative reading that is more or less saying the same thing I read yesterday, just with a different "i" dotted or a different "t" crossed. Don't get me wrong, I still prefer the Buffalo News articles vs the lower grade competitors, but I find the reading increasingly more difficult to digest. Couple that with the fact that we are used to getting this content for free, and now you are downgrading the quality of the product, yet asking us to now pay for what we are used to getting for free.

 

I get it, times are changing, everything in this world costs, and nothing is free. Someone has to pay the writers salaries, and I understand that. But you also can't blame people for coming on here and voicing their displeasure at being asked to pay for a product that they are used to getting for free, especially when that product is seemingly more and more watered down by the day.

 

Personally, I prefer the Buffalo News to all of the other sites on Two Bills Drive, and if I have no choice, I will pay for the monthly membership. If I'm given a choice, obviously I'd rather get it for free.

 

And if you read what I wrote, and the article I linked to, the implication was clear. You can go high volume/low quality and chase pennies for clicks. Or you can regroup, go higher quality and ask for $3/month. They tried the pennies per click as did many other papers the last 15 years. Some are still trying it. Some are looking for a compromise. The larger issue isn't whether an individual thinks BN Blitz is worth a dime a day - it's the attitude that all news should be high quality, free and viewable with an ad-blocker installed because heaven forbid a professional journalist gets paid a living wage to produce those pieces.

 

And yes, I'm blaming people for their absurd displays of their displeasure. The indignation over $3 per month is ridiculous.

[yungmack]

Completely agree with you, Scott. And you said it well. One thing I offer as a suggestion is to aggregate the daily TBN output into a single link as you currently do with, say, the Monday articles by the out of town papers.

[SDS]

Completely agree with you, Scott. And you said it well. One thing I offer as a suggestion is to aggregate the daily TBN output into a single link as you currently do with, say, the Monday articles by the out of town papers.

 

I will probably have to do something, but I have reached out to the news to discuss the issue. Our mission here has always been about driving eyeballs to the content creators and setting up a community to talk about it. Notice we don't rip the content from the AP/BN/RDC, repackage it and sell it as our own as some other popular blogs do. Also note that every article has a source with it and with our quoted text, you are actually getting something for free.

 

I want John Warrow to get paid, so we have legitimate facts to discuss here. I want Tim Graham to get paid, so we can see the horrific effects this game has inflicted upon past stars.

 

We may set up a Q and A with the BN sports editor if we determine it would be constructive. That was their offer to us.

[QCity]

The indignation over $3 per month is ridiculous.

 

I think it's more about the perceived "quality" of the writing than it is the money. A substantial vocal portion of the fanbase takes any criticism of the team almost as if it were an attack on their family. They don't want accurate reporting, they want to be told how great this team is going to be every year.

[smuvtalker]

 

And if you read what I wrote, and the article I linked to, the implication was clear. You can go high volume/low quality and chase pennies for clicks. Or you can regroup, go higher quality and ask for $3/month. They tried the pennies per click as did many other papers the last 15 years. Some are still trying it. Some are looking for a compromise. The larger issue isn't whether an individual thinks BN Blitz is worth a dime a day - it's the attitude that all news should be high quality, free and viewable with an ad-blocker installed because heaven forbid a professional journalist gets paid a living wage to produce those pieces.

 

And yes, I'm blaming people for their absurd displays of their displeasure. The indignation over $3 per month is ridiculous.

You make valid points. Well, looks like I'll be paying 3 dollars a month from here on out! The more I think about it,(and listen to rational, logical posters) 3 bucks really isn't very much at all. Lord knows how much I spend a month on this WGT golf game app.

[Just Jack]

We may set up a Q and A with the BN sports editor if we determine it would be constructive. That was their offer to us.

As long as those Q's are asked ahead of time. I can see many "Fire Sullivan!" and "Why should I pay?" questions to one actual question.

 

As to whether to pay or not pay? I would pay if I use the resource. I recently noticed a $10 charge on my Paypal account I could not recall making. Investigating further, I realized it was a yearly charge I have set up for a hiking forum I'm on, but haven't been on in a while. So while it's not a lot, it did get me to go back there and check out some of the threads and what people have been up to in the past several months.

[smuvtalker]

 

I think it's more about the perceived "quality" of the writing than it is the money. A substantial vocal portion of the fanbase takes any criticism of the team almost as if it were an attack on their family. They don't want accurate reporting, they want to be told how great this team is going to be every year.

I do see that you put "substantial vocal portion", but just felt the need to clarify, I do not think that the quality of the articles has decreased due to ANY criticism of our team. Having the longest playoff drought in professional sports history is reason enough for most, if not all of the criticism this team has received. When I say that I feel the quality of the articles has decreased over the years, I mean that in the most general sense of the word.

[Jukester]

Scott,

 

Thanks for the post and the link. Had no idea it was that bad. I've been reading buffalo news sports articles since I was ten years old - and back then there was also the courier express. That's over 36 yrs. I've been out of the area for the last 17 and I still feel a connection to the Bills and WNY mainly through this site and the Buffalo News. I'll gladly pay $3 a month even if I don't read a single article just to support. Agree the outrage is ridiculous - I know people that spend double that at Starbucks DAILY.

[quinnearlysghost88]

At the end of the day, I don't need well-written in depth news articles on a sport. Give me recaps of scores, transactions, and injury updates. This industry has grown into a lot of people patting themselves on the back for what amounts to talking about men playing a kids game.