The newspaper “USA Today” will fire 130 employees due to low income on publicity over the last few years and also due to the fast the users have of news over the Internet.

In 2007, it was the most read newspaper in the country with 2.3 million copies, today with a progressive descended it has come down to 1.83 million copies, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Dave Hunke, publisher’s rep, explained that the changes would be radical and that they were preparing the paper for the next quarter century.

Hunke didn’t mention the departments that will be affected with the layoffs, but he did mentioned that the first wave of changes will cut out the editors and specialized chiefs in sections like sports, news, money and life. In their place, editing of the newspaper will be divided in sections organized by content.

Think a little bit of why this is happening to the US Today. I totally think that people are using their mobile devises to check on the news and also to check different web sites. I’m one of them. I check everything on my mobile device and I don’t have to buy the newspaper or watch the news on TV.

Off course this leads to fewer sales for the newspapers and to lower their copies circulation. And this also leads to less people buying advertising space because the user volume is not the same.

According to reports, in the last quarter of the year USA Today only sold 580 advertising pages, 50% less compared to the same period of 2006, when it had 1.098 advertising pages.

What are advertisers using then? Does Craigslist, Google Adwords or Facebook ring a bell?

Fortunately they decided to focus on the mobile platform, although a little late. They also need to develop other social media strategies that engage users into buying the paper. If they aren’t doing it now they are going to be left behind.

On what’s going to happen to the 130 employees that are going to be led off, it is a shame and I would recommend them to start an Internet business immediately, using their editing skills as an advantage, that way they won’t have to be led off again and never depend on a job for the rest of their lifes.

If you want to learn how to start a business over the Internet in this new economy click here.

Best of success,

NICOLAS LAVERDE

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