So, another U.S. newspaper has trimmed its printed stock tables. Newsday has announced
that it is reducing its stock and mutual-fund tables in both daily and
Sunday editions by about half. Sunday editions still will publish a
longer set of listings than on weekdays.
This follows a similar decision by the Chicago Tribune.
Both Tribune Co.-owned papers are offering a free telephone stock-quote
system to accommodate those people who don’t go online.
This reduction in printed stock listings is something I’ve advocated to
U.S. newspapers for years (and to publishers in many other countries,
too, but that of course depends on Internet penetration rates). But
now, I think that recommendation doesn’t go far enough. I think it’s
time to abandon stock and mutual-fund listings on weekdays, and rather
refer print-edition readers to the newspaper’s website and telephone
service. Offer customizable stock e-mail and cell-phone services. Do
publish major stock listings in print on Sundays, however.
Printed stock listings in the broadband-Internet era strike me as a
waste of space that could be used for expanded business coverage and/or
more useful news and information. My guess is that the reduction moves
by these papers were made because a wholesale slashing of the listings
might cause a consumer uproar from those still clinging to the old
way. I won’t criticize that cautious approach; it’s probably smart. Yet
I wonder just how many complaints a newspaper actually would get if it
went cold turkey on all its printed stock listings. As long as it
offered quality and free alternatives, I suspect the outcry would be
small and brief.
