Google's Views on How to Save the News Business

"Google is killing the news business," many say. Though that might overstate the case, there is no doubt but that the Internet is reshaping business ecosystems in many ways, typically altering not just distribution formats but also profit margins.

But some argue Google also depends on a vibrant "news" and "journalism" business for its own good, "is trying to bring it back to life."

The company’s chief economist, Hal Varian, likes to point out that perhaps the most important measure of the newspaper industry’s viability—the number of subscriptions per household—has headed straight down, not just since Google’s founding in the late 1990s but ever since World War II (click image for larger view). 

In other words, there are some trends in the "news" business that were in place long before the Internet, including a shift first to television news and now Internet news.

This Atlantic magazine piece is long, but it is the Atlantic's forte, after all. It also is authored by James Fallows, an engaging writer. It is worth a read.

How to Save the News - Magazine - The Atlantic