Final answer:
The Daily Recorder need not inform its rival, The Daily Sun, when considering charging a flat fee for online news access.
Important stakeholders like online customers, print subscribers, and unions must be informed, given their direct involvement in and impact by the policy change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Daily Recorder is considering charging online readers a flat fee for access to the news on their electronic devices. Among the stakeholders, they should inform, the paper's rival, The Daily Sun, is the one they should not worry about informing.
Other stakeholders like the paper's online customers, the unions representing the paper's workers, and the paper's print subscribers should be informed as they are directly affected by the policy change. However, sharing strategic business decisions with a rival could be disadvantageous.
As newspapers transition to online platforms to remain relevant, adapting to digital models has become crucial. Newspapers like The Wall Street Journal have successfully implemented digital paywalls, and others like The Daily have introduced subscription-based content for digital readers.
This trend shows a shift away from traditional print media and an embracing of digital platforms to cater to changing consumer behaviors and to generate revenue lost from declining print ad sales.
With rising digital pay plans and digital ad revenue, newspapers have found a way to maintain financial stability amidst the general decline in print circulation and advertising sales.
Therefore, when a newspaper considers implementing a paywall or subscription model for its online content, it must communicate this change with its internal stakeholders while not necessarily involving competitors like The Daily Sun.