One problem reducing the number of printed newspapers creates is that it makes it very easy to start new competition. Today comes news that a third Detroit daily newspaper is taking advantage of the cutbacks by the Detroit News and Free Press to two and three days respectively. On November 23, the Detroit Daily Press will be launched on newsstands only for a week before starting home delivery a week later. Bet they wouldn't have tried this is Detroit still had home-delivered print newspapers. During my time at the Milwaukee Journal and then Journal Sentinel, there were several serious attempts to launch alternatives either in Milwaukee or in various suburbs. All lost out because of the cost of starting and the strength of the newspapers.
At an announcement this summer, the new Detroit publishers said they needed 150,000 circulation to break even. Hope they get it.
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