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The regional newspaper industry value chain in the digital age

  • Original Article
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OR Insight

Abstract

The literature on electronic commerce has bombarded managers with various suggestions and recommendations as how to understand and manage the Internet from the perspective of value chain management (Choudhury and Karahanna, 2008; Stone, 2003). There is however limited academic research on the newspaper industry. Our research sought to answer the question of how the Internet is impacting on the processes of creation, production and distribution in the newspaper industry value chain. In order to answer this question 15 semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted at three regional newspapers. The potential operational and strategic benefits from the Internet have been well documented in the literature (Cao and Humphreys, 2002; Anketell, 2003, 2004), but our findings showed that it was met by initial fear and rejection. Newspapers are now starting to use the Internet as an operant resource and are working proactively with consumers to develop various forms of relationship value. We highlight the role of consumers in the creation of news (editorial) content and consumer-driven moves toward a multimedia platform of distribution (including television, online, mobile and printed forms). Insights from the findings are used to generate comparisons between traditional and Internet age newspapers. Finally, the paper concludes by presenting some interesting implications for managers.

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Notes

  1. Further information about Adfast is presented at the Newspaper Society website which is available at http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=1203.

  2. Interview with Philip Meyer, Professor of Media Economics, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, 7 October 2008.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Booth Street West, Manchester, M15 6PB, UK

    Gary Graham & John Hill

Authors
  1. Gary Graham
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  2. John Hill
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Correspondence to Gary Graham or John Hill.

Appendix

Appendix

Questionnaire: The impact of the Internet and socioeconomic environment on newspapers.

I Evolution of the Newspaper Supply Chain

1. Could you please briefly explain the evolution of your supply chain operations in the last decade?

II-A Contextual Variable: The Internet

1. What are the main Internet issues affecting the newspaper industry and its practices?

2. Could you describe the impact of the Internet on your operations?

3. What have been your responses? Please provide examples.

II-B Contextual Variable: The Socioeconomic Environment

1. What are the main socioeconomic issues affecting the newspaper industry and its practices?

2. Now I would like you to describe in your own words the current socioeconomic environment of your newspaper.

3. What have been your responses? Please provide examples.

III Demographic Questions

The following demographic information will only be used to describe the sample of participants of the study.

1. Gender: ____ Male ____ Female

2. Age: ____

3. How many years of experience do you have in the newspaper business? ____

4. How many years in this organisation? ____

5. Main unit in which the participant works (tick as appropriate): ____ News ____ Features ____ Digital Operations ____ Advertising ____ Marketing and Sales ____ Editor.

6. According to your job description and the activities you perform, do you have management responsibilities (tick as appropriate)? ____ Yes ____ No.

7. Do you occupy the highest management position in your unit (tick as appropriate)? ____ Yes ____ No.

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Graham, G., Hill, J. The regional newspaper industry value chain in the digital age. OR Insight 22, 165–183 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1057/ori.2009.5

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