Saving Newspaper Journalism through Effective Branding

 It appears that newspaper journalism is on the ropes. If it is, it is a truly sad day. Over the last couple of centuries newspaper journalism has served as the watchdog of government and the provider of essential information for the citizenry. 

In the last half of the twentieth century newspaper owners became very good at developing the newspaper subscription model. Newspaper subscriptions were sold at affordable rates to readers. Those readers and subscribers became the value that was sold to businesses. Businesses could advertise to newspaper readers and generate customer traffic.

This model depended on the newspaper having information that was valuable to readers. Those readers were valuable as potential customers to businesses. Newspaper owners needed to provide information that would drive readership which would, in turn, drive ROI for business advertisers.

Today, newspapers still promote subscriptions but include print and digital platforms. The subscription model is still viable if value is provided to readers and advertisers. This value must be articulated and communicated through advertising. 

In a Harvard Business Review article, Stephen Greyser and Mats Urde, (What Does Your Corporate Brand Stand For, February 2019) provide a matrix that can be used by organizations to make sure their brand assists in creating outcomes that align with organizational goals.

EXTERNALVALUE PROPOSITION
What are our key offerings, and how do we want them to appeal to customers and other stakeholders?		RELATIONSHIPS
What should be the nature of our relationships with key customers and other stakeholders?		POSITION
What is our intended position in the market and in the hearts and minds of key customers and other stakeholders?
EXTERNAL/ INTERNALEXPRESSION
What is distinctive about the way we communicate and express ourselves and makes it possible to recognize us at a distance?		BRAND CORE
What do we promise, and what are the core values that sum up what our brand stands for?		PERSONALITY
What combination of human characteristics or qualities forms our corporate character?
INTERNALMISSION AND VISION
What engages us (mission)? What is our direction and inspiration (vision)?		CULTURE
What are our attitudes, and how do we work and behave?		COMPETENCES
What are we particularly good at, and what makes us better than the competition?

As you can see a brand speaks to individuals inside and outside of the organization. This brand matrix neatly brings together all of the needed components to consider when developing a brand message. It tells those inside the organization what they must do and those outside of the organization what value is promised.

If newspaper journalism is to continue as a viable sustainable business it must focus on providing value to reader/users and advertisers. Some newspapers are doing a good job at providing news and information through several platforms. However, I have not seen an effective brand building effort by newspaper companies.

It appears that the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal are counting on their exceptional reporting being picked up by major cable news shows. I do not see a major branding effort.

I have seen some marketing efforts by newspapers but they do not focus on the brand.

I was lucky enough to be at the Houston Chronicle at a time branding efforts were important and communicated well to all of the constituents. The Chronicle had a large advertising budget at the time and used in-paper, radio and  television ads and public events to advertise various offerings and services. What struck me at the time was that every ad ended with the slogan "Houston's Leading Information Source".

This statement told people outside the organization that if you needed information the Houston Chronicle had it whether it was news, advertising, entertainment or other items of interest. This same message told the people within the organization that they needed to be sure we were the leader in those categories - more advertising, more stories and information that was accurate and reliable.

If newspapers are going to succeed they will need to develop their brand, develop a brand statement, advertise to and engage the reader/subscriber audiences.

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