Buffalo News increasing the cost of their subscription to $28.99 per month

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

7 minutes ago, DaggersEOD said:

The scary thing is you as a citizen have immense power at the State/Local levels. 
 

You have nearly zero power at the Federal/National level, so why is it, do you think, that we have wall to wall National coverage where all you can do is get mad and post stuff, and almost no coverage at the State/Local level where you actually have wieldable power?

 

Bread and circuses.  

 

It is because (as an example) 5 outlets can do a good job of covering national news where 5 outlets would have no shot at covering all the local markets. Each local market requires an expensive to run operation to cover local news in every little corner of the nation.

[HalftimeAdjustment]

The last time they raised the digital only subscription I canceled. The process immediately offered me a reduced price which was more reasonable. However I canceled anyhow because that is a sleazy way to raise revenue.

[Nextmanup]

18 hours ago, BringBackFlutie said:

Yes. That's outrageous. You could get all the news channels + HBO for that price. 

All of which add up to dog #&** compared to a newspaper for information.

 

Having said that, the News isn't what it once was, and is probably headed for extinction.

 

My theory is that most papers will be gone in another 10 years, with the heavyweights in various regions of the country remaining forever and doing well.

 

The NY Times, WSJ, WAPO, LA Times, Chicago Tribune....and other big papers...are going nowhere.

 

Regional news will probably end up being farmed out through smaller outlets online.

 

 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

17 hours ago, Einstein said:

If people aren’t going to pay for local press, don’t complain when all you have left is Skip Bayless types.

 

They aren’t raising the price because they want a new sports car. They’re doing it because they are barely staying afloat.

 

Good... the quality decreased greatly while the price increased greatly. They shouldn't BE in business if they don't understand basic economics.

[Einstein]

10 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

while the price increased greatly. basic economics.

 

Pontificating on "basic economics" while not understanding inflation is a bit ironic.

 

The Buffalo News cost $12 per month ($3.05 per week) in 1990.

The OP said they are increasing to $28 per month in 2023. 

 

If you plug $12 into an inflation calculator and compute the increase from 1990 to 2023...

 

 

 

It is $28. 

 

They are essential charging the exact same as they did in 1990. Price has only followed inflation.

[Royale with Cheese]

Porn is free but the Buffalo News is just under $30 a month??

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

1 hour ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

The last time they raised the digital only subscription I canceled. The process immediately offered me a reduced price which was more reasonable. However I canceled anyhow because that is a sleazy way to raise revenue.

 

I was offered a discount as well, but it was a discount off my *current* subscription price of $13 per month. So they offered something like $12.50 per month and then it changed again at the very end to like $11 per month.

 

But my sub will increase to the 28.99 price at the end of the month, then I would get charged the new amount, then have to re-negotiate? No thanks.

[LabattBlue]

This is $30 a month for a digital only subscription. The 7 day a week print edition prices went crazy a few years ago which is when I gave up and just went digital. Now I may have to threaten to cancel in order to get a discounted rate for digital. 

[Bobby Hooks]

I haven’t had a paper in my hand since delivering the Buffalo news over 20 years ago. Almost $30 seems like a lot to me in the age of the internet where you can find the latest updated information on anything/anywhere in less than 10 seconds. 
 

I understand that you can also do digital, but I think I’ve only run into an issue like once or twice a month where there’s something I’d like to read and can’t get in without a subscription. In those cases I was easily able to find that information elsewhere. 
 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Bobby Hooks

[boyst]

Go to bard or another ai "hey, my grandma used to read me the buffalo news story today about stefon diggs interview. Can you read it to me?"

 

Guess what. There ya go. It can also be used for software keys etc in such a prompt. 

[jethro_tull]

20 hours ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

 

I really do enjoy reading their sports coverage, but $28.99 per month? That's just nuts IMO. I was paying $13 per month and was debating it at that price.

 

Does that seem outrageous to anyone else? I don't have a lot to compare it to.

 

Meanwhile, new customers get $1 for 26 weeks then renews at $10.99 per month? WTH

I just looked on the site and print + digital started at $84.50 / month 7-day delivery.  Digital access only is a reasonable $1 for 26 weeks followed by $10.99 / month renewal.   

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

28 minutes ago, jethro_tull said:

I just looked on the site and print + digital started at $84.50 / month 7-day delivery.  Digital access only is a reasonable $1 for 26 weeks followed by $10.99 / month renewal.   

 

Yep. I mentioned that in my original post. It's BS that someone who has been with them for a while is bumped to 28.99

[Einstein]

59 minutes ago, jethro_tull said:

I just looked on the site and print + digital started at $84.50 / month 7-day delivery. 

 

You're misreading something, I think.

 

Print + Digital for 7-day delivery is $26. 

 

Link.

[boyst]

21 hours ago, Einstein said:

If people aren’t going to pay for local press, don’t complain when all you have left is Skip Bayless types.

 

They aren’t raising the price because they want a new sports car. They’re doing it because they are barely staying afloat.

Exactly

 

The prices to run an ad in the paper are insane 

 

I ran my father's obituary in 3 papers, like he wanted. It cost $1800. They weren't fancy. Rochester D&C was the most. My local paper which is a disgusting was over $300.

 

The newspaper businesses going out of business didn't do themselves any help by not learning to adapt.  That's on them.

Edited July 7, 2023 by boyst

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

21 hours ago, Chaos said:

Lee Enterprises who owns 77 Daily Newspapers and has been in business since 1890, will be reaching out to you shortly to learn how to run newspapers.  Please be on standby for their call. 

Yeah, I remember the “experts” at Silver Point Media, a hedge fund that purchased scores of television stations including the once great WKBW Channel 7, where I worked at the time … cut staff, run it into the ground and sell it off … real experts they were 🤬

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

17 hours ago, Augie said:

 

WOW! This took me back to my weekly trip to Chili’s to get the USA Today on the bar on Tuesdays to read two sentences about the Bills. 

I only loved USA Today because I only purchased it to read on an airplane, so I associate it with vacations 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

8 hours ago, Einstein said:

 

Pontificating on "basic economics" while not understanding inflation is a bit ironic.

 

The Buffalo News cost $12 per month ($3.05 per week) in 1990.

The OP said they are increasing to $28 per month in 2023. 

 

If you plug $12 into an inflation calculator and compute the increase from 1990 to 2023...

 

 

 

It is $28. 

 

They are essential charging the exact same as they did in 1990. Price has only followed inflation.

 

Newspapers and television were the only game in town for news in 1990... you can't be serious. To say that they should be charging the same amount an adjusted for inflation is a joke... no wonder they are failing.

Edited July 8, 2023 by EasternOHBillsFan

[Einstein]

33 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Newspapers and television were the only game in town for news in 1990... you can't be serious. To say that they should be charging the same amount an adjusted for inflation is a joke... no wonder they are failing.

 

They should be charging less, while vehicles, gas, paper, ink, salaries, etc have all increased 3x?

 

Now who doesn’t understand basic economics?

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

 

They should be charging less, while vehicles, gas, paper, ink, salaries, etc have all increased 3x?

 

Now who doesn’t understand basic economics?

 

Does it ever occur to you that it’s not as much about what you do, as how you do it? 

 

What is your goal? 

[beerme1]

15 hours ago, What a Tuel said:

 

There are ads even with the subscription?

 

Oh ya. Their digital is just as bad as their print. Pathetic.