links for 2009-11-03

  • Kevin: GlobalPost expects to generate $1 million in revenue this year and $3 million next, reported Nieman Lab, from notes taken by Bill Densmore at a seminar organised by the Joan Shorenstein Center at Harvard, entitled "How to Make Money in News: New Business Models for the 21st Century."
    I'll be looking for a breakdown on how much revenue comes from advertising, syndication and their membership scheme. The site currently only has 500 paying members so I would expect that part of the revenue picture to be relatively small. I'd also be interested to see how it is working out for individual journalists working for the site.
  • Kevin: Chicago is turning into a very interesting laboratory for new news models. The Chicago News Co-operative and reconstituted ChiTown Daily are pursuing different models. ChiTown Daily tried to pursue grant-based online model and has switched to a print tabloid focusing on 'City Hall', Chicago city politics. Both the ChiTown Daily and the Chicago News Co-operative will be focusing on City Hall "and and other big institutions that dominate civic life in Chicago".
    I am sure that they can find some success, but unless they connect with readers beyond these institutions (which they seem to have a plan to do), I can't see them being anything but niche players.