Uncomfortable, impatient - the new reader

There is indeed cause for hope. Despite steadily declining circulation figures for paid daily newspapers, readership figures for the classic print product remain stable, at least for a regional newspaper like ours. And - the reason for hope - there is even a marked increase in readers: on the digital channel. In recent days, the Luzerner Zeitung and its regional editions not only relaunched their online brand portal, but also launched a new, dynamic registration and payment model for the digitally available newspaper content after a phase of around two and a half years of free content. Opportunities in the reader market? Certainly intact, even if associated with uncertainty.

A recently published PwC study also gives cause for hope. In their "German Entertainment & Media Outlook" report, the auditors unsurprisingly state on the one hand that "strong growth in the German media and entertainment industry is almost only possible digitally. On the other hand, this is accompanied by a growth forecast according to which online advertising will grow by an average of 5.6 percent annually until 2021. In the course of this growth, and this actually sounds like a ray of hope for publishers, revenues from the paid content business are expected to grow by double digits - per year! The PwC experts calculate just under 11 percent growth in paid content. In Germany, 15 percent of citizens, or 9 to 10 million, are already expected to spend money on digital content and services in 2017. The most encouraging aspect is that paid news services recorded the highest growth rate, along with music, movies, games and e-books.

Anyone tempted to derive more than the cause for hope propagated at the beginning of this article from such figures and forecasts, or even to predict a possible turnaround in the newspaper business, should be warned: digital and traditional audiences still tick very differently.

The difficulties in the subscription newspaper business have not diminished, but have become one dimension more complex. This is because a development can be observed that is placing great demands on editorial offices and reader market departments alike. Readers have become more self-confident. They ask questions, comment, demand and complain. Thanks to e-mail and social media, this has happened at a rate that has steadily increased in frequency and intensity in recent years. There are undoubtedly positive aspects to this development. The direct, regular dialog with readers is valuable. It generates more input for stories. And the pressure on us journalists to explain facts and/or journalistic assessments to Ms. Meier or Mr. Müller in an unfiltered conversation raises awareness of the necessary precision and comprehensibility of reporting.

However, the increased self-confidence of the paying readership also has its troublesome side: the threat of "subscription cancellation! Hardly a day goes by when newspaper publishers and editors are not threatened with turning off the money tap. Here are a few tidbits from letters.

"A few days ago I was annoyed about the naughtiness with the enormous pictures in the sheet and also told you about it. (...) I will not continue to pay over 400 francs for something like this and will draw my consequences. Which is presumably as long as wide to you." For another subscriber, the delivery interruption during the vacations didn't work out: "If I worked the way you and your employees do, I would have been out of work long ago and could close down my company. (...) If your service does not improve, I will cancel your newspaper immediately." Or it is a matter, as in the case of this reader, that a person providing information or his statements are not approved: "How can you give so much space to such a poltergeist who launches a broadside against a democratically elected (!) president (Donald Trump; editor's note)? (...) If the reporting does not move back toward neutrality and balance in the future, I will cancel the subscription." Commenting on a guest article about the No Billag vote, in which the author shouted "Grow up!" to the initiators, a reader wrote: "Your newspaper must be doing very well to dare to publish such crude reader insults. (...) But I won't stand for it, the bow has been stretched too far. As soon as the subscription invoice arrives, I will send it back with the note: 'Subscription will not be renewed'."

How should an editor and journalist deal with this? Wipe the slate clean? Or respond as 1:1 as possible to such demands with a view to the growing holes in the coffers? Neither. We newspaper producers should make an effort for every single customer. That means first of all: answering complaints personally whenever possible. Then explain, explain, explain - and also show the courage to admit a mistake and display the necessary degree of self-criticism. In return, we must not give in to the threat of "cancellation of subscription" - especially in view of the freedom of the press. That would only give further impetus to the already growing, unhealthy polarization of opinions. We journalists should not allow ourselves to be stirred up by know-it-alls and angry citizens or by the trend toward categorical intolerance of dissenting opinions. Even if that is sometimes really difficult.

Jérôme Martinuhas been editor-in-chief of the Luzerner Zeitung since May 2016. The 43-year-old historian was previously Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Head of Regional Departments since 2012. He has worked at LZ-Medienhaus in Lucerne for over 16 years. The Luzerner Zeitung and its regional editions in Zug, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri are currently read by around 292,000 people. The newspaper is part of the NZZ Media Group and works in the national section in institutionalized cooperation with its partner newspaper St. Galler Tagblatt, which is also part of the NZZ.