A large owner or partner with resources to enable the online edition to offer readers updated information could help enhance news coverage, guarantee more hits, and consequently more advertising revenue. That could ensure support of the online edition. Pouring resources into the online edition, however, could upset staff of the print edition, particularly if they are not well integrated into the online edition. Mercury Mail sends more than 325,000 subscribers more than one million email messages daily, ranging from news and sports to stocks and entertainment. Newspapers have another edge in the archives they provide for which they sometimes charge a fee.
Newspapers record a history of their cities, and their archives are suited to online searches.
The Tribune Co. also has interests in the Web Internet search and indexing firm Excite. This key issue may drive traditional news outlets to leap into alliances with those developing the technology before the news outlets understand their readers. The information presented is too often irrelevant, and in some cases it's corporate press-release propaganda masquerading as news. The Internet industry seems to think it can be both at the same time. But I think the mix will be hard to sustain.