The town without news

摘要

What happens when a place loses its newspaper? Most of the 80 or so local papers that have closed in Britain since the beginning of last year were the second-or third-strongest publications in their markets. But the weekly Bedworth Echo, which published its last issue on July 10th, was the only paper dedicated to the town's news. A small former mining settlement in the Midlands, Bedworth also lacks a radio station. Although it will still be covered by newspapers focused on its bigger neighbours, it is now a town without news.rnIt will not be the last. With a few exceptions (see box on next page) local newspapers are declining quickly. Trinity Mirror, which owned the Echo, shut 27 local newspapers last year and has already closed 22 this year. The main reason more local papers have not collapsed, says Paul Zwillen-berg of oc&c, a consultancy, is that they were cushioned by large operating margins. Many have gone from annual profits of up to 30% to negligible earnings. As they tip into loss, the trickle of closures is likely to become a torrent. Enders Analysis, a media consultancy, reckons a third to a half may go in the next five years.