What's Up With the Buffalo Blitz Paywall?

[Keukasmallies]

Is the next thing to come out of the Buffalo News a $5.00 per month exclusive section whispering the doings de jour in Amherst and Orchard Park?

[mileena]

I hate the BN. First you had to subscribe to read the sports section; now I can't read anything since they banned me for using ad blocker on my browser. What a loser newspaper.

[Dirtbag]

expecting payment for content isn't a scam. i don't pay since i don't like the writers, but there's nothing scammy about it. gotta get paid somehow.

[aceman_16]

I would get my neighbors BN in print when he was done with it and use it for a bird cage liner and it would do an amazing job cleaning windows - no streaks!!

Edited May 11, 2018 by aceman_16

[YoloinOhio]

15 minutes ago, mileena said:

I hate the BN. First you had to subscribe to read the sports section; now I can't read anything since they banned me for using ad blocker on my browser. What a loser newspaper.

The horror! you expected what exactly? It’s not the Penny Saver. 

[Gale Gilbert]

It's $2.99 a month and it helps support the local paper. Big deal. 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

There isn't going to BE a local paper if they continue to hire sh***y writers like Sully and Bucky who insult their readers. Bucky's defense of Brandon's misconduct yesterday was particularly odious. It has gone downhill so much I am surprised they have the audacity to try and get money out of people for the worthless tripe they give readers. Almost little value and the complaints are totally valid!!!

[Lurker]

Slow night, apparently...

[BillsFan4]

I wish they would offer something for just the Bills and Sabres sections, or ideally include the Sabres news with the Blitz subscription, as that's pretty much all I read of the Buffalo News. 

 

The hockey section is not included in that $2.99 subscription for the Blitz. If it was, I'd re-subscribe. It just kind of aggravated me paying to read the Bills news and still getting locked out of the other sports coverage after a few free articles per week/month or whatever it was. 

 

They only other option is their their digital subscription for $72 per year. That's double what the Blitz subscription is. It's just not worth it when I can get pretty much the same coverage for free from other sites. 

[Estro]

I wish this board didn't pin every single BN article at the very top of the list.  Almost like an agreement between BN and 2BillsDrive to arrange that.   

[Bills Fan of St Augustine]

49 minutes ago, mileena said:

I hate the BN. First you had to subscribe to read the sports section; now I can't read anything since they banned me for using ad blocker on my browser. What a loser newspaper.

Well they ain't the Courier Express that's for sure!

[Rubes]

It’s about time someone brought that up.

[BuffaloRush]

31 minutes ago, Gale Gilbert said:

It's $2.99 a month and it helps support the local paper. Big deal. 

 

True but the problem is that they are essentially trying to charge for a product that they previously provided for free.  This is why I understand how fans get upset.

 

To be fair, it’s not just the BN that’s doing this.  Many newspapers in general are following suit.  It’s one way that they are trying to stay alive in a digital world.  

[Carter]

Careful OP. 

 

This is a sensitive topic on here. 

 

People who have been here long enough know the story behind buff news and this site, two b illsdrive.  

 

Pay wall etc. it’s all related. 

 

 

 

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

It’s so inexpensive I don’t even know how this registers as a complaint. It’s less than a cup of coffee a month. If you don’t want to read the writers then don’t subscribe. If you do then it’s ridiculously  cheap. I don’t understand the vitriol. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by YoloinOhio

[White Linen]

27 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

It’s so inexpensive I don’t even know how this registers as a complaint. It’s less than a of coffee a month. If you don’t want to read the writers then don’t subscribe. If you do then it’s ridiculously  cheap. I don’t understand the vitriol. 

 

My best crack at answering is readers who got upset with some of the writers subconsciously liked getting mad and disagreeing.  Now having to pay for that relationship is off putting.   

 

 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

50 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

It’s so inexpensive I don’t even know how this registers as a complaint. It’s less than a of coffee a month. If you don’t want to read the writers then don’t subscribe. If you do then it’s ridiculously  cheap. I don’t understand the vitriol. 

 

It's not ridiculously cheap for the inferior product subscribers get, and like I said, they will be losing money hand over fist. They suck.

[SydneyBillsFan]

2 hours ago, Keukasmallies said:

Is the next thing to come out of the Buffalo News a $5.00 per month exclusive section whispering the doings de jour in Amherst and Orchard Park?

 

Stop being a tight arse and support your local newspaper!

 

If an Aussie can pay the $3.00 then so can a Buffalo native.

 

FFS, you probably spend more on your morning bagel and coffee.

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

It's not ridiculously cheap for the inferior product subscribers get, and like I said, they will be losing money hand over fist. They suck.

 

Did you read everything he wrote? 

 

 

.

 

 

I wonder if the people selling slide rules went down without a fight? 

 

This is similar, they are dinosaurs, with writers people seem to almost universally dislike. (I haven’t read their stuff in years.) Good luck with that formula. 

[stony]

10 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

It's not ridiculously cheap for the inferior product subscribers get, and like I said, they will be losing money hand over fist. They suck.

$2.99 dude.  $2.99.

 

Also, unlike many papers, the BN operates in the black.  

[BadLandsMeanie]

The way I see it if a relationship with TBN benefits TBD then I am all for it. Because I get the benefit of this site being free!

 

I hope TBN isn't too important to us here though because I don't think they are going to make it. They have to be really savvy and adapt and understand their business to make the transition. But they are owned by Warren Buffet and he knows nothing about newspapers aside from figures on a bank statement.

 

Like a lot of companies they are built by a founder and then eventually the founder and his or her main helpers die off and then the business just chugs along under it's own momentum being owned by investors.

 

 Like here in Rochester Kodak and Xerox went on for decades after the founders died just getting bigger and bigger. But then the landscape changes and the companies are like the Titanic they just keep chugging right into the iceberg because at bottom the people running them don't know what they are doing. Kodak in particular crashed like a lead balloon. Digital photography. Everyone saw it coming, but they did nothing. They were bankers basically. I'm not even sure anybody said "Here comes an iceberg".

 

TBN is like that. There is a digital iceberg and they have no idea how to steer a path around it.

 

 

[jr1]

everyone uses an adblocker with their browser then gets upset when sites have paywalls

[stony]

7 minutes ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

The way I see it if a relationship with TBN benefits TBD then I am all for it. Because I get the benefit of this site being free!

 

I hope TBN isn't too important to us here though because I don't think they are going to make it. They have to be really savvy and adapt and understand their business to make the transition. But they are owned by Warren Buffet and he knows nothing about newspapers aside from figures on a bank statement.

 

Like a lot of companies they are built by a founder and then eventually the founder and his or her main helpers die off and then the business just chugs along under it's own momentum being owned by investors.

 

 Like here in Rochester Kodak and Xerox went on for decades after the founders died just getting bigger and bigger. But then the landscape changes and the companies are like the Titanic they just keep chugging right into the iceberg because at bottom the people running them don't know what they are doing. Kodak in particular crashed like a lead balloon. Digital photography. Everyone saw it coming, but they did nothing. They were bankers basically. I'm not even sure anybody said "Here comes an iceberg".

 

TBN is like that. There is a digital iceberg and they have no idea how to steer a path around it.

 

 

I disagree with much of this. 

 

Buffalo is a unique case study IMO.  They're a small city that has two major sports teams.  However, unless their teams are winning consistently, the national media pays minimal attention to them (this is mostly directed at the Bills).  And while local media is important for all teams/cites whether it be NYC or Milwaukee, its especially important in places like Buffalo.  Just look at this thread, there's people that are hate-reading the BN.  When they cease to move the needle, then I'd worry.    

[Bing Bong]

Podcasts are free and you can listen to them on commutes. Also just subscribe to cover1. I never nead from the writers but you guys have a lot of salt for them.

[bobobonators]

I read my Bills news here. Its free and the writing is better. 

[JoshBarnett]

I have had the opportunity to message with a number of people on this board and post here in my time in Buffalo, but I will again identify myself as the executive sports editor of the Buffalo News. 

 

As I have said before, I am happy to answer questions about our business model and our coverage, etc. You can message me here, email me at jbarnett@buffnews.com or write in this or the other threads about this subject. 

 

I think people here find me to be generally responsive even if you don’t agree with our approach. 

 

Thanks, Josh 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

[This is an automated response]The topic title is potentially misleading. Accurate titles help the community find topics relevant to their interests and avoids reader frustration. Please change the topic title to more accurately reflect content of the original post.The topic starter can edit the topic title line to make it more appropriate.Thank you.

 

 

12 hours ago, Keukasmallies said:

Is the next thing to come out of the Buffalo News a $5.00 per month exclusive section whispering the doings de jour in Amherst and Orchard Park?

 

I don't think that's a scam exactly?  You may feel it's an unjustified fee or overpriced, but you pay the fee, don't you get the service you signed up for?

That's not a scam

 

Mind editing title?

[White Linen]

39 minutes ago, JoshBarnett said:

I have had the opportunity to message with a number of people on this board and post here in my time in Buffalo, but I will again identify myself as the executive sports editor of the Buffalo News. 

 

As I have said before, I am happy to answer questions about our business model and our coverage, etc. You can message me here, email me at jbarnett@buffnews.com or write in this or the other threads about this subject. 

 

I think people here find me to be generally responsive even if you don’t agree with our approach. 

 

Thanks, Josh 

 

You coming here,  being approachable and willing to listen to your customers is most appreciated.  I have a ton of respect for your approach.  

[Fadingpain]

4 things you can count on:

 

1) Death

2) Taxes

3) People here bitching about Schopp and the Bulldog

4) People here bitching about The Buffalo News

[BadLandsMeanie]

Gee. I wasn't expecting that. Now I feel insensitive for having prattled on about the paper being doomed.

 

My apologies!

[Tolstoy]

8 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

I wish they would offer something for just the Bills and Sabres sections, or ideally include the Sabres news with the Blitz subscription, as that's pretty much all I read of the Buffalo News. 

 

The hockey section is not included in that $2.99 subscription for the Blitz. If it was, I'd re-subscribe. It just kind of aggravated me paying to read the Bills news and still getting locked out of the other sports coverage after a few free articles per week/month or whatever it was. 

 

They only other option is their their digital subscription for $72 per year. That's double what the Blitz subscription is. It's just not worth it when I can get pretty much the same coverage for free from other sites. 

Completely agree.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Hey, let's start a new thread about a Buffalo News paywall!

 

Because, as you know this topic has NEVER been discussed on this board, and I can create my own thread and don't need to be bothered to use the "search" feature on this board.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

10 hours ago, Bills Fan of Maryland said:

Well they ain't the Courier Express that's for sure!

On some threads, we definitely need multiple ? votes.

9 hours ago, bobobonators said:

I read my Bills news here. Its free and the writing is better. 

And we do have our own versions of the columnists we 'love to hate'.

[BuffaloRush]

32 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

Hey, let's start a new thread about a Buffalo News paywall!

 

Because, as you know this topic has NEVER been discussed on this board, and I can create my own thread and don't need to be bothered to use the "search" feature on this board.

 

People whinging about starting new threads never ceases to get old.  

[boater]

BN is owned by Warren Buffett.

 

Warren Buffett companies make one thing -- piles of cash. 

 

He just cracked open his coin purse and bought 75 million more shares of Apple.

 

Don't expect BN subscriptions to go away. Expect more of them.

[jimmy10]

Surely this hasn’t been discussed before, and definitely not with a Q&A from an actual Buffalo News editor willing to engage people on the topic. 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

3 minutes ago, jimmy10 said:

Surely this hasn’t been discussed before, and definitely not with a Q&A from an actual Buffalo News editor willing to engage people on the topic. 

 

This HAS been discussed before.

 

And don't call me Shirley.

 

 

[justnzane]

10 hours ago, SydneyBillsFan said:

 

Stop being a tight arse and support your local newspaper!

 

If an Aussie can pay the $3.00 then so can a Buffalo native.

 

FFS, you probably spend more on your morning bagel and coffee.

to be fair, the morning bagel and coffee gives more fulfillment than a Sully article usually does (except when he is eating crow for being massively wrong)

[YoloinOhio]

8 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

4 things you can count on:

 

1) Death

2) Taxes

3) People here bitching about Schopp and the Bulldog

4) People here bitching about The Buffalo News

5. John Murphy is a homer 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

51 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

People whinging about starting new threads never ceases to get old.  

 

As opposed to people whinging about people whinging?  Whinging does become tedious, but the irony seems thick on this ground.

 

22 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

This HAS been discussed before.

 

Indeed, and Josh periodically has been by to solicit input as to what folks would like to see.  Much appreciated.

 

11 hours ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

True but the problem is that they are essentially trying to charge for a product that they previously provided for free.  This is why I understand how fans get upset.

 

To be fair, it’s not just the BN that’s doing this.  Many newspapers in general are following suit.  It’s one way that they are trying to stay alive in a digital world.  

 

Exactly, I actually applaud TBN for trying to adapt to the digital age. 

 

About a decade ago I encountered a local print paper editor at a social event.  He complained of declining sales.  I suggested that they consider a pay model where they provided a service online - told him I would 100% pay a few bucks to have local news and topics I self-identified as "of interest to me" delivered electronically.  He looked at me as though I had an "L" tattooed on my forehead and returned to complaining about the illiteracy and disinterest of his subscriber base.  I said "nicetomeetcha" and moved on.