Use the web to compensate for print cutbacks

Web journalism expert Steve Outing is advising news media outlets to save money by publishing supplementary content on their sites.

Mr Outing, of Editor and Publisher, said newspapers should be using the net to compensate for recession-driven cutbacks to their print editions.

He suggested comics, stock tables and sport statistics could reach a wider audience and still serve the bottom line if published on the web.

"The Washington Post recently removed several strips from its print comics page lineup: fans of those (allegedly unpopular) comics reacted with predictable outrage, writing angry letters and e-mails to the editors.

"It's not just comics that newspaper readers get angry about losing. In December, the Arizona Republic trimmed the Ann Landers column (in favor of competing advice column 'Dear Abby'). But Ann was moved to the paper's web site, which lessened the criticism, at least. According to senior editor for online news John Leach, the site now carries 70 comic strips online - compared with only 20 in print.'

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