Won't survive,
buyers predict

As circulation and newsstand sales drop, the ability of newsweeklies to remain viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace won't last much longer, according to a recent Media Life poll of media planners and buyers (via MediaBuyerPlanner). Though Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report have managed to stay competitive in the face of the internet's ability to report news more quickly (and, to a lesser extent, competition from TV's cable news channels), readers predict that one of the three will go down the tubes. Most believe that it's the smallest in circulation and the weakest in ad pages - U.S. News & World Report - that won't survive.

A large margin, 71.4 percent, of poll takers believe that the internet is the greatest source of competition for newsweeklies, but 40.8 percent believe that in spite of the competition the internet has not made the newsweeklies obsolete, thanks to the analysis available in the print publications.

But when it comes to the print pubs as advertising vehicles, only 20 percent agreed that they were still very valuable, while 62 percent said they were less so, agreeing with the statement, "Somewhat valuable. Circulation isn't what it used to be, but they're still a smart buy when you need mass reach, and you need to do it on short notice."

Surprisingly, nearly 18 percent of respondents believed the newsweeklies offer no value to advertisers. Once upon a time, advertisers tended to buy all three titles, fewer now do, depending on two or even just one, and often pitting the three against each other to negotiate the best deal.

Newsweek was picked as the magazine with the best editorial, but Time came out way ahead in terms of having the strongest brand.