Not Even For Free

The Washington Post circulation department called tonight. They wanted to offer me a free subscription to the daily Post for the next 20 weeks (not coincidentally right through the holiday shopping season). I pay for the Sunday paper; they want to throw in the Monday-Saturday papers for free. Gratis. On the house. Such a deal.

I turned it down, of course, as I do every few months when The Post makes me this offer--even after the sales rep begged me to reconsider. Sorry, no thanks. I read the daily Post online; I don't want to deal with the print newspaper piling up, and having to drag it to the curb for recycling. Alas, I just don't want to receive printd copies of The Washington Post, one of the world's great newspapers, a place where I earned my living for many years, an institution I cherish, a paper owned and run by people I know and respect, for free. It just doesn't appeal to me. Thanks but no thanks.

I know I'm not alone, and that's one of the reason Post circulation--and the circulation of other newspapers--is declining. This is why The Post faces a future that CEO Don Graham (in an excellent Fortune story about the company) calls "very challenging." The value proposition for the print newspaper just isn't there--even for free. Sorry. If you want to reach me and other members of this audience, you'll increasingly find us online.

Well, with one exception, as I've noted before: If The Post would sell me a weekend (Friday-Sunday) print subscription, I'd agree in a flash. But The Post won't do that. Instead, it calls every few months to beg me to take the daily product for free. And even for free, I'm just not interested.

Comments

[robert]

Watching Don Graham at this year's NAA mid year media review was comical and sad. He spoke candidly about the troubled future of the newspaper, and saw no end in sight for the declines. He even lamented the fact that their Kaplan division now generates more revenue than the newspaper and hinted at the fact that the name of the company may be irrelevant at some point. He then suggested we all go play some poker. It was definitely one of the lighter moments of the day.