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

[beerme1]

11 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.

 

Ok. Now give me a graphic about the quality in 1990 for $12 a month vs todays quality at the same price inflation adjusted. Don't tell me it's raining while pissing on my leg good sir.

 

[Doc Brown]

11 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.

More competition now.  

[HerdMentality]

I can get The Athletic for 8% that price.

[Einstein]

3 hours ago, Augie said:

 

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

What do you mean?

49 minutes ago, HerdMentality said:

I can get The Athletic for 8% that price.

 

I really enjoy The Athletic as well.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

13 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

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.

 

 

I find it interesting as a 55 year old Buffalonian that some people really still believe something is too big to fail today. Each there own I guess I guess we can agree to disagree in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[Augie]

7 hours ago, Einstein said:

What do you mean?

 

 

If you have to ask, it seems we have identified a major sticking point. 

 

There are all different kinds of intelligence. 

 

 

.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Augie

[K D]

I get all of my news from PPP 😬

[RyanC883]

21 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.

 

this is a good point.   

[What a Tuel]

33 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

this is a good point.   

 

It doesn't account for advances in production capability, and productivity that decreases cost though.

 

So yeah the inflated price is right but at the same time, how have their costs of production faired? They certainly didn't skyrocket, and would be amazed to find out they stayed the same.

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

Einstein in here defending 28.99 per month for a digital newspaper

[Einstein]

46 minutes ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

Einstein in here defending 28.99 per month for a digital newspaper

 

I'm not defending the newspaper. I don't subscribe and I won't.

I am simply telling you that they are not increasing prices because they think it's fun to take more of your paycheck. They are increasing prices because they are trying to stay alive. If they don't increase prices, they will be unable to fulfill their accounts payable and payroll and they will go out of business and there be no local newspaper. 

 

That may be fine with you, but don't b-word when all you have left is national pundits commenting on the Bills instead of your local media team.

 

1 hour ago, What a Tuel said:

So yeah the inflated price is right but at the same time, how have their costs of production faired? They certainly didn't skyrocket

What in the world makes you think their cost of production didnt rise? They absolutely did skyrocket.

 

Printer ink has gone through the roof. When looking at newspaper ink, which is primarily soy oil or a distillate of petroleum (oil), you can see the rise in price:

 

 

 

Then there is the cost of paying people to write for the paper. 

 

Do you think the writers still want to be paid what they made in 1990? 

 

Or do you think their salaries rose with inflation too?

 

Then there is the cost of paper itself, which has risen drastically:

 

 

So we have:

 

1 - Ink - skyrocketed

2 - Paper - skyrocketed

3 - Writer Salary - went with inflation

 

This doesnt even count the cost of rent (which has also skyrocketed), new machines (they dont last forever), etc.

 

 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

4 minutes ago, Einstein said:

I am simply telling you that they are not increasing prices because they think it's fun to take more of your paycheck.

 

 

 

oh thank you for telling me I thought it was just for the lolllls

 

/eyeroll

[Einstein]

7 minutes ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

 

oh thank you for telling me I thought it was just for the lolllls

 

/eyeroll

 

Oh, okay. Continue on with your "Local Media is desperately trying to stay alive. F em!" thread.

[C.Biscuit97]

My mom gets the Buffalo News still and I love good newspaper. But it’s such a dying industry, it’s said. But maybe like records and 90s fashion, they will make a comeback. 

[Saxum]

3 hours ago, RyanC883 said:

 

this is a good point.   

 

CPI has always underestimated inflation because government bases raises, per diem, etc on it.

Even a 5th grader knows that!

[What a Tuel]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

 

I'm not defending the newspaper. I don't subscribe and I won't.

I am simply telling you that they are not increasing prices because they think it's fun to take more of your paycheck. They are increasing prices because they are trying to stay alive. If they don't increase prices, they will be unable to fulfill their accounts payable and payroll and they will go out of business and there be no local newspaper. 

 

That may be fine with you, but don't b-word when all you have left is national pundits commenting on the Bills instead of your local media team.

 

What in the world makes you think their cost of production didnt rise? They absolutely did skyrocket.

 

Printer ink has gone through the roof. When looking at newspaper ink, which is primarily soy oil or a distillate of petroleum (oil), you can see the rise in price:

 

 

 

Then there is the cost of paying people to write for the paper. 

 

Do you think the writers still want to be paid what they made in 1990? 

 

Or do you think their salaries rose with inflation too?

 

Then there is the cost of paper itself, which has risen drastically:

 

 

So we have:

 

1 - Ink - skyrocketed

2 - Paper - skyrocketed

3 - Writer Salary - went with inflation

 

This doesnt even count the cost of rent (which has also skyrocketed), new machines (they dont last forever), etc.

 

 

 

Oh come on man. You really think it costs more to print a paper than in 1990? Give me a break. Show me all the price per barrel nonsense you want. It just isn't the case. The efficiency of technology has drastically altered the cost of production.

[without a drought]

2 hours ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

Einstein in here defending 28.99 per month for a digital newspaper

Too bad he can't comprehend that it is $84.50/month for 7 day delivery or $52/month for Sunday only delivery. 

Both of those do include digital access. 

He may need a new calculator for that.

[Einstein]

2 minutes ago, without a drought said:

Too bad he can't comprehend that it is $84.50/month for 7 day delivery or $52/month for Sunday only delivery. 

Both of those do include digital access. 

He may need a new calculator for that.

 

Lol. Try again.

 

 

https://buffalo-news.securesubscribers.com/?source=microg&gad=1#7Day&gclid=Cj0KCQjw756lBhDMARIsAEI0AgmUx8pKvHj788isQvYAL6-LG7bhOcV3w_QNCQNzXZ_HOgYhgZ4LC2oaAtgaEALw_wcB

5 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Oh come on man. You really think it costs more to print a paper than in 1990?

 

It absolutely does. This isn’t opinion - it’s fact. Technology doesn’t change the increased price of ink, paper, vehicles, salaries, etc. 

[RyanC883]

50 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

CPI has always underestimated inflation because government bases raises, per diem, etc on it.

Even a 5th grader knows that!

 

if CPI underestimates inflation, then @Einstein point is still correct, the paper raised it’s prices in response to inflation. His CPI calculator showed the paper today at $28, and if underestimated the paper should cost more.  

[Saxum]

6 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

if CPI underestimates inflation, then @Einstein point is still correct, the paper raised it’s prices in response to inflation. His CPI calculator showed the paper today at $28, and if underestimated the paper should cost more.  

 

CPI also changes items accounting for inflation so the point is CPI is useless for judging inflation and it is a straw man argument.

And I have no idea on who Einstein is.  Certainly no Einstein on this board.