Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Subscribers to print editions of The Buffalo News have not always received their copies this week. The parent company says it's been dealing with technological issues in putting the paper together.
Parent company Lee Enterprises issued this statement to WBEN on Thursday:
"Lee Enterprises is experiencing companywide technology issues that have impacted our ability to prepare and publish some of our newspapers and online e-editions. We are working to correct the issue."
The Buffalo News says it had to combine three sections into two during this week.
SUNY Fredonia's Mike Igoe thinks the answer is simple.
"The print copy of the paper is not a priority," Igoe said with WBEN. "My opinion is that we would like to move entirely to a digital platform, and I think the only way reason they don't do that is because a lot of their hardcore audience prefers the hard copy of the paper."
Igoe notes it is still a hard sell for The Buffalo News to get all subscribers onto a digital platform.
"The big difference between The Buffalo News and some of the other major players, such as the New York Times, Washington Post and whatnot, they have digital sites that do very, very well. I obviously don't know the figures for how much they make on their digital platform, but I know unless you have a reputation like some of the major players, people generally don't want to pay for websites, because the attitude is, 'I can get it for free just about anywhere,'" Igoe said of the dichotomy in play.
Igoe is mixed on whether he likes hard copy or digital.
"Sometimes, I just get sick of being on the computer all the time. So when I have instructor's manuals, and I will print it out, just for that sake, so I can sit in my chair. But frankly, as a practical matter, it is easy for me to read online because I'm roaming around with classes and whatnot, and sometimes I just don't have a chance to go over to the store," Igoe said.
The Buffalo News recently moved printing operations to Cleveland.