NEW YORK — In what is likely a sign of the times, come September, you won't be able to buy the New York Times or any other newspaper at Starbucks.
The Seattle-based coffee giant plans to stop selling newspapers at all of its 8,600 shops nationwide.
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It isn't hard to see why Starbucks might be making this move.
Here, in the heart of Amazon country, the news that Starbucks will no longer sell newspapers in its stores is, well, hardly news.
"I know they have them but I have never once purchased one," said Jordy Covington, Monroe. "I think everything I need I get on my phone."
"I can get that on my phone, on the internet, on any website, " said Seattle’s Flippy Mapper, who has his own YouTube channel. "I don't think I need to go to Starbucks to buy a newspaper."
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Dr. Caitlin Ring Carlson, a journalism professor at Seattle University, says selling newspapers probably doesn't turn much of a profit for Starbucks.
"I probably am guilty of picking one up, putting it down and not buying it," she concedes.
But, she says, the decision to stop selling newspapers is a reflection of a stark reality.
"I think about one-fifth of us are getting our news from social media," she said. "A third of news readership is from news websites. And you guys, television is still the 'big man' on campus, if you will, with about 50% viewers or readers tuning into television to get their news."
But Andrew Chen, Seattle, is lamenting the demise of a printed newspaper here.
"I think I prefer just a newspaper around," he said.
But there's still Jordy Covington.
"I mean it's a shame some of the newspapers aren't doing super-hot," she said. "But I've never once purchased one so I can't say I'll miss it."
A spokeswoman for the Seattle Times says they just got the news today. "At this juncture, it's too early to tell what, if any, impacts it will have on our sales.," she said.
In other words, stay tuned.
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