Business has changed since 1833. One would be hard-pressed to find businesses operating with the same model that was in place when Andrew Jackson was in the White House. But in the case of newspapers, many are still operating with the same business model established when Benjamin Day opened the first penny press nearly 200 years ago. A University of Kansas professor of journalism is leading a project to test a new model based on research with publishers and readers to help rural newspapers adapt, survive and thrive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Teri Finneman, associate professor of journalism at KU, took part in an oral history project to help document the experiences of rural, weekly newspapers. … This summer, the project will implement and test a model that moves away from heavy reliance on advertising and cheap subscriptions. After a year of testing, if the new model is successful in use of memberships, e-newsletters, events and new content direction, plans call to distribute a new model available for rural weeklies across the country.
Source: KU News
