Detroit Free Press Going Digital

Here's another reason to reconsider the newspaper bailout:

The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News will announce today (Monday) the implementation of a sweeping set of strategic and innovative changes with emphasis on digital delivery and the introduction of new, compelling, easy-to-use editions of both newspapers available at nearly 18,000 locations throughout Michigan, in an era in which digital delivery is revolutionizing how people get information.

The changes include first-in-the-nation moves as part of its bold leadership to strengthen and ensure continued publication of two strong and independent daily newspapers in Detroit and Michigan at a time when newspapers around the country are filing for Chapter 11, going to digital only operations or closing outright.

I'm not saying that this "Digital Free Press" is guaranteed to be a big hit. There's a good chance it could fail. But what's important is that this is another step in the journey for print media to find a new business model. It might take many failures for success to happen. Bailing out companies tends to discourage this innovation.