Media is a Service, Not a Product

A reporter interviewed me this week for an article about the future of local newspapers. At first, he referred to the terms ‘newspaper’ and ‘journalism’ interchangeably, and I clarified that the lack of a definition for journalism is what hobbles many conversations about the future of newspapers. Newspapers are not a product, they are a… Continue reading Media is a Service, Not a Product

Growing in a Recession

If you work in media or publishing, please, please, please, read the 2009 State of the News Media Report. While it does not specifically focus on B2B media, the trends seen in broader news magazines, newspapers and other media are instructive. It begins very soberly: “Some of the numbers are chilling.” Full of data, the… Continue reading Growing in a Recession

“Free vs. Paid” is the Wrong Question

I have seen a resurgence in journalists and media folks asking whether news and media should be free or paid. EG: Should the New York Times have a big pay wall in front of it. Traditional media in particular has jumped on this discussion, with the hopes of rebuilding a business model and audience behavior… Continue reading “Free vs. Paid” is the Wrong Question

More Consumption of Media — Less Revenue?

Rolling Stone has an article profiling record producer Clive Davis, titled “The Last Record Man.” (no link because its not on their website.) Clive characterizes the current state of the music industry: “You get rich in this economy by finding a way to charge for what has already been free. Water. TV. Radio. But the… Continue reading More Consumption of Media — Less Revenue?

The Piling Up of Media: Super-Users and Grazers

Every day, media is thrust into my life: Two newspapers on the driveway. Magazines in the mailbox… more than 10 subscriptions. RSS feeds in my RSS reader… about 100 subscriptions. This is before I look at my Blackberry, open Instant Messenger, surf a single website, think about the book on my nightstand, or even fathom… Continue reading The Piling Up of Media: Super-Users and Grazers

The Awe-Inspiring Brand Equity of Established Publishers

On a recent outing in New York City, I couldn’t help but notice three buildings in particular, each representing a publishing giant. The New York Times building is brand new, the Hearst Tower is a new building built on top of the old one, and the McGraw-Hill building (their former headquarters) is vintage art deco.… Continue reading The Awe-Inspiring Brand Equity of Established Publishers

Online Advertising: Can Magazines Survive on the Web?

Magazines and newspapers are looking to attract readers online, and find ways to monetize their attention. However, there are a variety of obstacles in the way, not least of which is the elephant in the room: “The $3.1 billion merger between Web search king Google and online ad giant DoubleClick approved by U.S. regulators yesterday… Continue reading Online Advertising: Can Magazines Survive on the Web?

After 126 Years: The End of a Newspaper

I think its only fitting to start the new year with fewer potifications on what great new technologies we will see, and give a sober look at what journalism and publishers are facing. After 126 years, The Cincinati Post has created their final edition. BusinessWeek writes: “Originally called The Penny Paper when it was started… Continue reading After 126 Years: The End of a Newspaper