Journalism needs revenue and asking readers to pay for it seems to make sense. But, I’ve seen the numbers and it does not. Let’s be clear: It’s not they will not pay, it’s not enough people will pay. Fact is, news–free or otherwise–isn’t dragging in the consumers as we need.

But, news does add value. It adds “weight” and context to whatever is being discussed. News organizations can exploit that.

Here’s an example at Boston.com that anyone with a respected web brand–and that’s any news organization–can use.
Bostom has this “Moms” page, like many newspapers have, but that have sold sponsorship to a Children’s Medical Center.
http://www.boston.com/community/moms/

Recently, the Richmond Times-Dispatch removed the TV grid from the daily print paper. It’s now back–sponsored by a local TV station.

Oh, you say, big deal, selling sponsorships. Think about it: How silly is a Mom’s board and a TV grid? The local shopper can do that. But, get paid for it like they are in Boston and in Richmond? No.

Let’s use the news (and the news brand, as Boston does) to add value to many online and print products (silly and otherwise) and get paid for that added brand value.

When a newspaper offers WuduPlz.com locally, after a parent sends a text message to their teen’s cellphone (on the sponsored service), the user not only sees a confirmation message and the sponsor’s message (again) but they also are offered local news headlines. That news adds value to to the user, sure, but it also add value to the sponsor, who is not only part of a handy household web service, but part of the news service brand as well. The local sponsor of WuduPlz is involved in the community, it obviously cares.

Does a newspaper job fair has more value than a job fair sponsored by a government agency? Yes, because of the news brand is more trustworthy.

Newspapers need to sell that added-value which news provides to the advertisers on within a network (in print and online) of useful, targeted products.

And, sure, part of that network of useful, targeted products is the news. And add the TV schedule and parenting advice/services to the news. No problem.

We can stop pretending that TV grids and parenting help isn’t as useful as news and stop asking news to drag in everyone we need to reach. But, in doing that, don’t stop using the news to add value. Without that added value news provides, the parenting advice biz and TV grids are not going to pay enough.