The New Media: The Printed Blog

As has been recently reported, the old print media has taken a beating. The Detroit Free Press, Christian Science Monitor, and several others have seen their business model of generating ad revenue from various sources dwindle (in part due to the current financial crisis) and from competition from the new media, the internet. While they suffer, close down home delivery services, and try to salvage their business through patchwork and quickie makeovers, a new business is cropping up:  the blog-to-your-street, internet-savvy The Printed Blog.

This 1st generation of on-line publication to the local masses come from the mind of Joshua Karp, founder and publisher. Recently profiled in Wired, Joshua Karp asks the logical question: “Why hasn’t anyone tried to take the best content and bring it offline?”  

Within that idea and framework, The Printed Blog hopes to take blogger-wanna-be-journalist types and utilize their content in local publications in a quick read format (a typical paper will be 11×17-inch on three pages, six sides in full color.) Their hope is to gather unique articles from people with expertise in various fields, writing ability, and a friendly voice to the man on the street while crossing the avenue to the social networking arena of Flickr, Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook.

One can see potential in a twice daily print of content gathered from online “beat” reporters. But one can also see the downsides as people can utilize searches and pick and choose content they prefer. But that should not stop The Printed Blog as it tests the business waters with their ‘reverse print media’ model.

People in a 24-hour world are looking for new, innovative and solid companions while they travel to work, school or actually vacation somewhere else. The Printed Blog hopes to gain traction in New York, Chicago (where they will debut January 27, 2009) and San Francisco. One can foresee 50, 100, or 1,000 various editions across the globe, with the only constraints being financing and the personnel to make it happen.

This blogger/author hopes to see The Printed Blog become ‘The New’ New York Times. But as with anything in business, the market will determine whether it succeeds, or fails.