The Killeen Daily Herald set single-copy sales records in the aftermath of the Fort Hood shootings last week. You hear this quite often, after a tragedy or other big news event, that newspapers still sell out quickly. A Yankees World Series win meant big sales for the New York papers. Last year's presidential election was a banner day for national print publications like USA Today.
Yet, we also hear that the newspaper business is dying. Being a layoff victim of that industry, I often feel there is no future for print publications. But then along comes these big news days and customers flock to the stands to read all about the good, bad or ugly. And while readers also go the the news web sites, they seem to have a insatiable desire to feel paper in their hands when it comes to historic events.
I think there is a lesson for publishers and journalists in this phenomenon.
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