Newspaper Association president says papers must use new technology to draw readers

By Siobhan McDonough
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) With an economic recovery taking hold, newspapers have a chance to spur their transformation from traditional "ink on paper" companies to more broad-based media that lure readers in new ways, said John Sturm, president of the Newspaper Association of America. 

Sturm, speaking at the group's annual meeting Wednesday, said people are demanding instant content on what matters to them, and that newspapers have to exploit the latest technology to provide it. 

"People want to consume their media where, how and when they choose," Sturm said. "They want to look only at the ads that interest them. Until someone comes up with TiVo for newspapers ... we are the quintessential pull media."

TiVo's stand-alone box searches for programs or stars and guesses what programs a television viewer might enjoy based on viewing habits _ letting viewers "pull" what they want instead of networks "pushing" programming in the usual way. 

Sturm emphasized the importance of expanding readership in order for the industry to thrive, and said that newspapers have the ability to influence that. 

He said the group continues to push for changes on the legislative front, including reform of the U.S. Postal Service. Any move that puts smaller mailers at a disadvantage to large volume mailers will be challenged, he said. And the group will continue in its efforts to thwart any penalties that result from special deals for large direct mailers.