Death of a Newsstand?

(via)

The newsstand has been a staple of New York City. They’re found on almost every sidewalk, displaying rows of newspapers, magazines, and snacks ready for purchase. Now, with the arrival of the iPad and similar products, 105 newspapers closing in the past year alone, and job cuts in the thousands, the future of print media is unknown. Lost in the shuffle are those who sell the print media: the newsstand.

The ongoing shift from print to digital is a threat to newsstands all over New York City, says Robert Bookman, senior partner at Pesetsky and Bookman and founder of the NYC Newsstand Operators Association, a group that lobbies for the protection of sidewalk newsstands.

The number of newsstands in NYC has significantly decreased since the introduction of digital media. In the 1940s, according to Bookman, there were around 1,500 newsstands. In 2004, the Sun reported a total of 291 sidewalk newsstands. Now, says Bookman, there are roughly 280 left.

“It’s hard to keep a newsstand running,” said a newsstand operator in Union Square who did not want to be named. “People aren’t buying as much. It’s getting too expensive.”

To open a newsstand, one must apply for a license through the Department of Consumer Affairs. Once approved, the Department of Transportation coordinates construction with the vendor and Cemusa, a Spanish advertising company who creates “street furniture” with prominent ad space for NYC.

A Cemusa newsstand (via)

In 2007, according to the New York Times, a street furniture bill called for Cemusa to install 330 glass and stainless steel newsstands. The sleek, futuristic newsstand not only replaced many pre-existing stands, but is also be the required structure for new operators. Only 130 have been built, according to a March 2009 report.

When the bill was adopted in 2003, the Newsstand Operators Association sued the city, claiming they were being taken over without compensation. According to the New York Times, they lost in State Supreme Court.

A Cemusa newsstand costs $27,733 to build. Between the hefty cost of construction, a yearly $2,500 to $5,000 licensing fee, and dwindling sales, it’s difficult for vendors to keep up. “In many ways, the newsstand is dying, as the numbers demonstrate,” said Bookman.