While everyone in publishing is talking about new “business models,” New York Times’ media columnist David Carr reports on a weekly in Monmouth County, N.J., that is making money with an old business model — print!

“Why would I put anything on the Web?” asked Dan Jacobson, the publisher and owner of [the TriCityNews]. “I don’t understand how putting content on the Web would do anything but help destroy our paper. Why should we give our readers any incentive whatsoever to not look at our content along with our advertisements, a large number of which are beautiful and cheap full-page ads?” …

TriCityNews employs 3.5 people (the half-time employee handles circulation), has a print run of 10,000, and has a top line that can be written in six figures. Still, by setting rates low almost 10 years ago and never raising them or offering a Web option, Mr. Jacobson has built a reliable cadre of advertisers who call for ads, sign up for full pages, and pay in advance. There are no people working for sales commissions.” [More]