Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.

Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.

Technological advancements have changed the way news is received, reported and deliver to theconsumers. The increasing use of the Internet and mobile technology has changed the waybusiness is run. These technological factors have influenced the newspaper industry in the UnitedStates to adopt newer business models.  Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.Many newspapers have digitized their news through theirown websites. There are more than 900 websites run by newspapers in the United States. Amajority of these websites carry online advertisements. At the same time, there are alsostrengthening their print news divisions to increase circulation.The competitive landscape has changed in the newspaper industry with the entry of newmedia, mobile devices, media platforms and concepts. Internet companies, such as Google,YouTube, Facebook and Twitter provide online, real time news coverage along with videos attracting younger audiences. They have been able to take readers away from the traditionalprinted media to the virtual content space. Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.

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They attract a lot of traffic on their websites as amajority of the content they offer are free to access. Due to the increased traffic, they have alsobeen able to attract advertisers away from print advertising to online advertising. The cost ofonline advertising is cheaper when compared to print advertising. The cost of operating andmaintaining websites is also less in comparison to printing newspapers. All of these factors haveensured that the new media companies have to been able to increase their customers, minimizethe cost of operations and maximized profits. The traditional newspaper publishers have beenstruggling to adopt new technologies in their business and increase profits.In this era of globalization, there is an increased emphasis on protecting the environmentand sustaining it for future generations. Businesses now have increased social responsibility tofunction in a manner that protects and enhances the environment. The same applies to thenewspaper publishing industry. In the past few years, newspapers have been more aware of protecting the environment and taking measures towards this. A majority of the newspapers areusing recycled content to publish. They are encouraging newsprint manufacturers to use morerecycled content and less virgin fiber for printing newspapers. A number of publishers are alsotaking steps to minimize their use of printing paper. They have taken measures to use resourcesjudiciously and optimize utility. The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times havedecreased their widths to 50 inches to economize their use of newsprint (Honnold, 2000). Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.Porter’s ModelPorter’s model is a strategic tool developed by Michael E. Porter in 1979. It is a tool thatfacilitates to assess and analyze the competitive forces in a market. It is developed on the basisthat competitive strategy must be formulated taking into account the opportunities and threats inthe industry. Porter has identified five forces that determine the competitive landscape ofindustries and markets. These five forces are competitive rivalry between suppliers, threat of newmarket entrants, bargaining power of buyers, power of suppliers and threat of substitute products.The strategy of the business should be designed in a way to change these competitive forces tothe advantage of the company (Chapman, 2010).Applying the Porter’s model to the newspaper industry, it can be seen that there is alwaysa possibility of increased competition. New players could enter the market. They could adoptinnovative methods to enter the market. For example, providing free copies for a trial period of30 days. They could also provide a complementary copy with some other publication. Withregard to the bargaining power of buyers, there could be changes in the demographic distributionof the readers. If the majority of the readers are old, then the newspaper should change itsstrategy to attract more youth in buying the paper. With the easy availability of free online news,readers are not willing to pay for news content. Newspaper publishers need to formulate a mixed strategy combining free and paid access. The more popular portions of the website could bemade accessible to all to attract more traffic. Pay walls can be designed for niche news thattargets specific readers. Suppliers could influence prices by quoting more price formanufacturing the newspaper. The threat of substitute products is in the form of television andthe Internet. The newspaper industry is finding it difficult to tap the young adults marketsuccessfully as a majority of them look to television and new media, such as the Internet for theirdaily news. Publishers need to understand the specific needs of the youth and formulate theirstrategy accordingly. They can increase their readership base amongst the youth by providingincreased web coverage in areas that interest them, such as business, sports, education, arts andentertainment.Strategy Adopted by Companies in the Publishing Industry to cope with the ChallengesThe newspaper industry in the United States is faced with multiple challenges of reducedreadership, increased costs and competition from new media companies, such as Google. Amajority of the newspapers have online versions of their editions on websites. They have alsoother measures to increase circulation and improve profitability. Newspapers have increased theprices for both the subscriptions and single buy purchase. They are also analyzing the marketsthey serve to understand the cost-benefit dynamic of each market. As a result, some newspapershave cut back on circulation to remote areas where the revenues earned are more than the cost ofdelivery.The Wall Street Journal is one of the leading newspapers in the United States, which haschanged its market strategy and business model to overcome the challenges in the publishingindustry. Through its website,www.wsj.com, the paper provides online access of its newscontent to readers. As of April 2010, the Wall Street Journal had 414,025 e-subscriptions.

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Though the website is available online, not all of the content is free. The Journal has formulateda mixed price strategy where it provides both free and paid content. The popular sections of thenews content, such as politics, sports, arts and entertainment is free. Niche coverage such aseditorials, opinions and articles on business and financial topics can be viewed only for a fee. In-depth coverage, analysis, opinions and reviews are available only to paid users(PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010). By adopting this strategy of free and paid access, the WallStreet Journal has been able to increase its e-readership base. The free access to popular contentattracts more traffic on its website. This brings in more advertising revenues and increasesprofitability. At the same time, it helps in building a relationship with new readers. They areaware of the useful content available on wsj.com and are willing to pay for more in-depthcoverage and analysis.Another important measure taken by the Wall Street Journal is embracing the digitalrevolution and becoming a part of it. The Wall Street Journal is available on Apple’s iPad. Thismove helps the Journal to widen its market and tap younger readers who are technologicallysavvy. As of June 2010, the Journal had sold more than 10,000 subscriptions and generated $2.4million in revenues from the iPad (Business Insider, Inc., 2010).There are companies at the other end of the spectrum in the newspaper industry who haveadopted drastic measures to cope with the challenges. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer was facingsignificant losses for a few years. In 2008, the paper’s losses amounted to $14 million. As aresult, its owner The Hearst Corporation decided to shut down its print operations (GuardianNews and Media Limited, 2010). The Company had to make the hard decision of stoppingpublication of the 146-year old newspaper. It stopped delivery to nearly 117,600 weekdayreaders (Hearst Seattle Media, LLC, 2010). In March 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer rolled out its final print edition. It decided to publish only the online version,www.seattlepi.comof thepaper. The paper reduced its staff headcount drastically from 165 to 20(PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010).  Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.Since the paper transformed into an entirely digital webformat, its website,www.seattlepi.com, has had 4 million visitors per month with 40 millionpage views. With a reduced headcount, the website covers major topics, such as politics, sportsand local happenings by itself. It also sources stories through wire services and other newsagencies. The website also makes use of 150 local bloggers for regional content (World EditorsForum, 2010).Steps to be taken by The Chronicle Gazette for RevivalThe Chronicle Gazette needs to make some changes to its strategy and business model forimproving its position. The Company needs to understand the markets it serves and change itsofferings to attract customers and widen its subscription base. It has to study its cost structureand perform a cost-benefit analysis of its printing operations. The key measures that need to beconsidered by The Chronicle Gazette to increase its subscription and advertising revenues arepresented below:Set up a Website and go online with News ContentThe Chronicle Gazette needs to move towards digitizing its news quickly by setting up itsown website. Today’s readers have access to multiple online sources of news such as, Google,Yahoo, MSN and YouTube. In this Internet era, people want to view news content online.Younger readers prefer to read news online (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010). The paper needs tounderstand that it is competing with these online sources for both reader attention andadvertising. In this scenario, it is advisable for The Chronicle Gazette to have an online versionof its paper in addition to the print edition. This move will ensure that the paper can connect with newer younger audiences.Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper. It will also help boost its image in the market as it will be perceived asin tune with the times and ready to open up to the needs of the readers. This will help in bringingin more advertising revenue for the company.Once the website is set up and ready to be launched, the next key issue to be addressed iswhether the content is free or paid. It is best suited for the company to have both free and paidnews content on its website. Before making the decision, the newspaper needs to study itsaudience and understand which sections of the news covered is more popular. The websiteshould be designed in such a way that the popular sections of the news are available for free andpay walls are in place for in-depth coverage and analysis. In the initial stages, making thepopular sections of the news free attracts more visitors to the website. This will help the paper inconnecting with the readers and establishing a relationship. It creates visibility for the website incyberspace. Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.When the visitor traffic on the website is more, the newspaper can attract moreadvertising revenues. Pay walls should be in place for articles on special coverage, opinions,reviews and specialized local content. Pay walls should target niche readers who are looking forin-depth coverage on specific topics. Regular visitors to the website are aware of the quality ofthe content available. They will be willing to pay for detailed coverage and analysis.The Chronicle Gazette can source local and hyper local content through tie-ups with local newsagencies and websites.Minimizing Costs and Increasing EfficiencyDue to the global recession and declining revenues, newspapers across the publishingindustry in the United States are making efforts to cut costs and encourage optimum utilizationof assets. The Chronicle Gazette should carefully study its cost structure. It should work towardscost reductions in the operations of its business. The cost reduction efforts must not be confined to a single function. It should be undertaken in all the functional units, including printing,advertising, editorial, production and distribution. Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper. The Chronicle Gazette should perform a costbenefit analysis of the various markets it serves. It could cut back on circulation to those areaswhere the revenue generated does not justify the cost involved. The newspaper should focus onmaximizing the utilization of its assets.The players in the newspaper publishing industry are reorganizing their production anddistribution process to reduce costs (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2010). The Chronicle Gazetteshould undertake measures to organize its production and distribution functions so as to reducecosts and increase efficiency. This could be in the form of outsourcing or coordinating with otherplayers in the supply chain.Leaner Organization StructureThe Chronicle Gazette should study its organization structure and ensure that the humancapital is being effectively used in the business. Editorial staff must contribute effectivelytowards content creation. There roles must be well defined and their contributions must help inachieving the organizational goals. This step does not necessarily mean cutting down on editorialstaff. It should be directed towards increasing the productivity and efficiency of the staff. Thenewspaper should understand that journalists’ contribution is very important for the success ofthe company. It should focus its efforts on providing enough opportunities for the staff andutilizing them effectively.Embrace Digital PlatformsAll the major newspapers in the industry are exploring new business models and lookingto be part of the digital revolution. The Chronicle Gazette should explore new media platformsand technologies to distribute its content. It should look at attracting newer and younger readers by digitizing its content through websites and mobile devices. It could explore the possibility ofdistributing news content through smart devices like Apple’s iPhone and iPad.Conclusion

The Chronicle Gazette has to understand that there is always a demand for good qualitynews content. Even though subscription and advertising revenues are down, there is a constantdemand for quality and unbiased news and information.  Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.The Chronicle Gazette needs to focus onits core competencies by eliminating unprofitable areas of operation. It should focus on contentcreation that meets the needs of the majority of its readers. An increasing number of readers aredemanding specific and relevant news coverage and analysis. This could be in the areas ofpolitics, sports, arts, entertainment or local news. The Chronicle Gazette should cater to thisaudience and not just focus on general news.The Chronicle Gazette needs to take action quickly and swiftly to revive its fortunes. It shouldtake measures to be part of the digital bandwagon by distributing its content through websitesand mobile devices. The Chronicle Gazette has to take cost reduction measures and improve theefficiency of operations. It should aim to utilize its employees and assets to maximize returns. Itshould re-engineer its production and distribution processes to be able to deliver news contentacross various media platforms. These measures will ensure that The Chronicle Gazette focuseson its core strengths and builds on it to bring in more subscription and advertising revenues. Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.

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References

AuditBureau of Circulations. (2010).FAS-FAX Report – 3/31/2010.Retrieved fromhttp://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/newstitlesearchus.aspBusiness Insider, Inc. (2010).The Wall Street Journal Is Clobbering The New York Times (AndEveryone Else) In E-Reader Subscriptions.Retrieved fromhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-wall-street-journal-is-clobbering-the-new-york-times-in-e-reader-subscriptions-2010-7Chapman, A. (2010).Porter’s five forces model. Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/portersfiveforcesofcompetition.htmGuardian News and Media Limited. (2010).Seattle Post-Intelligencer prepares to publish finalprint edition.Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/mar/16/seattle-post-intelligencer-final-printHearst Seattle Media, LLC. (2010).Seattle P-I to publish last edition Tuesday.Retrieved fromhttp://www.seattlepi.com/business/403793_piclosure17.htmlHonnold, A. (2000).Newsprint. DIANE PublishingHoover’s, Inc.(2010).Newspapers and News Organizations Industry Profile.Retrieved fromhttp://www.firstresearch.com/industry-research/Newspapers-and-News-Organizations.htmlLos Angeles Times. (2009).Circulation drops at U.S. newspapers as readers turn to online newssources.Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2009/oct/27/business/fi-newspapers27

Newspaper Association of America. (2010).Advertising Expenditures.Retrieved fromhttp://www.naa.org/TrendsandNumbers/Advertising-Expenditures.aspxNewspaper Association of America. (2010).Total Paid Circulation.Retrieved fromhttp://www.naa.org/TrendsandNumbers/Total-Paid-Circulation.aspxPotter, W.J. (2005).Media literacy.Thousand Oaks, California:SAGE.PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2010).Moving into multiple business models: Outlook for NewspaperPublishing in the Digital Age.Pulizzi, J. & Barrett, N. (2009). Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.Get Content Get Customers: Turn Prospects Into Buyers withContent Marketing.McGraw Hill Professional.Rayport. (2003).Introduction To E-Commerce.Tata McGraw-HillThe New York Times Company. (2010).Newspaper Circulation Falls Nearly 9%,fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/business/media/27audit.htmlThe New York Times Company. (2010).U.S. Newspaper Circulation Falls 10%.Retrieved fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/media/27audit.html?ref=audit_bureau_of_circulationsWorld Editors Forum. (2010).SeattlePI.com turns 1: How well does their business model work.Retrieved from http://www.editorsweblog.org/web_20/2010/03/seattlepiorg_turns_1_how_well_does_their.php.Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Research Paper.

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