Tis the season for statement of ownership ads running in newspapers and magazines across the country. It is the chance to see the numbers behind the numbers when it comes to circulation numbers.
Frankly it isn't the most exciting ad that will run in the publication, especially if you are the publisher trying to make the numbers tell a good story. One of the exception might be the New York Times, who announced today that they have more subscribers now than they have at any time in their history.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/05/business/the-new-york-times-reaches-a-milestone-thanks-to-our-readers.html?_r=1
The New York Times has reached the 1 million mark for digital only subscribers. Add in the 1.1 million print / digital subscribers and the audience opportunity is stronger than it ever has been in the 164 years of Times publications. Pretty impressive, but not terribly easy to replicate.
Unique content is the key to publishing's future; print and digital. The Times by its very nature has that type of content, and there are others including the Wall Street Journal. Every publisher has the opportunity to find their unique content. As it was described to me recently at the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, you have to determine what content you can provide that is the best in the world. In many cases, publishers are the best in the world at covering their local market. But what else? The key to success is finding those additional niches, especially since local broadcasters and internet only sites are also trying to fill the local information market.
