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New news, old tricks

Posted by: | September 22, 2014 | No Comment |

Coupons win bread for newspapers and consumers.

Move over, Groupon.

Or should I say, advertisements. The once omnipotent printed ad is second to none other than the savior of the  American economy: the coupon. Anyone who has ever binge watched episodes of TLC’s “Extreme Couponing”, probably noticed an alarming constant (aside from obscene savings and doomsday prepper-esque stockpiles). Most of the couponers get their coupons from newspapers or other forms of printed media. They proudly display their binders full of coupons and regale viewers with tales of stealing their neighbor’s paper or dumpster diving for their precious cutouts.

Coupons are the printed ads of the new millennium. They single-handedly save newspapers from a rapid decline. This is great news overall, but especially great for local papers, who may carry coupons exclusive to stores in the community.

In a strange way, coupons are also a deconstructed form of printed news. When compared to ads and even stories, they essentially perform the same function; announce or share previously unknown or new information. How else would you know about  Target’s two-for-one deal on deodorant and toothpaste?

Simply put, you wouldn’t.

coupons clipping

 

 

under: Comm 455, newspapers
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