I was talking to our press supervisor telling him what I thought the future of newspapers were going to be. I said that the future was going to be outsourcing of production and packaging. Similar to what AMD did when they split their chip design and chip manufacturing operations, I think the future lies in having large printing and packaging facilities to service local dalies in central locations. That way newspapers would only consist of a front office and newsrooms. They would then contract out their printing and packaging to print facilities that also did commercial work. I think that way you could force thru reforms in the newspaper industry to standardize formats thereby giving these printing companies leverage against their paper (seen the cost of newsprint lately?) and ink suppliers. What do you guys think?
I was talking to our press supervisor telling him what I thought the future of newspapers were going to be. I said that the future was going to be outsourcing of production and packaging. Similar to what AMD did when they split their chip design and chip manufacturing operations, I think the future lies in having large printing and packaging facilities to service local dalies in central locations. That way newspapers would only consist of a front office and newsrooms. They would then contract out their printing and packaging to print facilities that also did commercial work. I think that way you could force thru reforms in the newspaper industry to standardize formats thereby giving these printing companies leverage against their paper (seen the cost of newsprint lately?) and ink suppliers. What do you guys think?
It totally depends on market conditions.
I've worked for several major (about 10) Top UK National and regional Newspapers both under contract and as an employee and I can say with some confidence that it depends on several factors
1. Market conditions
2. Business Model
3. Business Objectives
3. Investment Opportunities
4. ROI
One company the Guardian went from one model format to Berliner and I was there from the transition before to several years after.
Many of the regional newspapers have started to outsource now due to costs and market conditions. But companies like the guardian who changed their format have consolidated their London plant while letting their Manchester plant in the north out to waste.
They spent $160,000,000 on equipment to refocus their business model and objectives. Having to consider the company went from an impartial "Trust" to being a commercial business model. Their online focus for news and media gave Guardian Media Group one of the most visited websites in the country. However they stupidly ignored having any achievable commercial business model from that business. This has all been done over the last three to four years of trading.
Much of their London Plant's trading (Packaging and delivery) is done on an agency style business.
News International who produce The Times, Sun, News of the World and others outsource their entire pre-press (12 x ctp lines) including the staff it is all outsourced in a five year deal to the lowest bidder.
The only employees of this $700,000,000 plant is the line managers and printers.However they print a variety of National Titles and the plant is so huge they had to install a new TV transmitter for residents nearby.
...and packaging never die!
