Customers - Do newspapers make good teachers? - "At Your Fingers, an Oxford Don" - NYTimes.com

I, for one, see huge opportunities for newspapers in the world of learning. Newspapers teach us about our communities and our world everyday, and why shouldn't they play an even more active role in the educational process. The Washington Post Co., exceptionally, would surely agree, although you would not know it from their newspaper or newspaper website.

Target Stores, newspapers and customers

Today in The New York Times (print edition), there are two full pages of paid advertising from Target Stores, one of the largest US retailers and a substantial newspaper advertiser across the country. The text begins "On May 31st, we published an invitation in this newspaper: "Tell us what more we can do for you."" It continues, "627 of you e-mailed and we responded to each of you with a personal reply."

That got my attention.

The ad text then goes on to talk about some of the 627 suggestions and what Target is doing in response.

But what I kept thinking about was this -- a full page (I believe) ad, prepared by a professional advertising agenc, appears in one of the largest and most respected US newspaper. The response is only 627 people?

What's wrong with this number, perhaps this medium, and what can the current crises provide us in terms of an opportunity to fix some of the problem?

Customers - Choosing on whom you rely - "Social Media's Growing Influence" - NPR

Surely there are more creative ways for newspapers to insert themselves into this evolution as the trusted voice and source amidst so much that is so questionable.

Customers - Shouting is more fun than thinking - "The Media Equation - Obama’s Challenges Reaching a Public Ready to Pounce" - NYTimes.com

Put the specifics of the very US-focused debate aside for a moment. What's at issue here is the communication of information that triggers a response among a significant number of people. How does this apparent fact affect, or how should it affect, the way newspapers conduct their business? Newspapers have both a role that they believe they should play generally and yet an unavoidable need to understand how people are reacting to what news and information they receive. If newspapers want to come out these crises successfully, they are going to have to mount an effort that takes this sort of like-it-or-not reality into account, no?

Customer input - Couldn't newspapers organize this really well for stories? - "A Book That Lets Readers Handle the Footnotes" - NYTimes.com

We are still at the experimental stage on all of this, aren't we? Imagine this in the context of a newspaper. The challenge is to collect all of the good stuff from readers that a newspaper can, incoporate the best and most useful and be sure to share it again with everyone. Imagine, for a moment, a process whereby newspapers publish stories seeking comment, via footnotes or otherwise, take all of that into account offline and product a final version of the story. Those who offer comments would get a first look at the finished product which might be preceded by a little discussion of the comments received and what was done with them. There is ample precedent in how to do this in the procedures used for more than 50 years in the US when federal goverment agencies publish proposed rules and actions, seek public comment, note the comments and discuss them, followed by publication of a final action. Why isn't that something newspapers might try?

Coverage - Well, I guess this is one of the new limits? - "Slate Is Switching From ‘Today’s Paper’ to a News Roundup" - NYTimes.com

Slate is owned by the Washington Post Company.

News - Are we saving "news" or "newspapers"? - "'Losing the News - The Future of the News That Feeds Democracy,' by Alex S. Jones" - NYTimes.com

Here is a British newspaper person's take on Alex JONES' new book. That's a good combination in preparation for Manging the Crisis in London.

New services - Shouldn't a newspaper be the "knowledge" center of its market? - "New York Times Knowledge Network"

One of the sectors that often does well when the economy is in bad shape are education and training. People often find themselves in a position to use "down" time to improve their skills. This service from the The New York Times may fall into that category. As newspapers confront their many crises, are there other initiatives designed to expand the newspaper value proposition in areas which may responde better or quicker than others as the financial crisis continues? Are these areas that can strengthen the value of the newspaper to its market over the long term?

Consider this study that says that online learning may be more effective than face-to-face. Does that open up new opportunities for newspapers?