By
Lance Winslow
We all know that print media has taken a severe beating and
continues to do so as news media readers are choosing to become users of
Internet media instead. Today, more and more people have apps for their
smart phones which help with instant news uptake, while others use
tablets, or home computers and laptops. It wasn't more than five years
ago when one of the Google Founders noted that print media wouldn't
survive the future and although he didn't predict the actual date of
demise - he did say he was certain the trend would continue. It has, so
let's talk.
There was an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal on September 17, 2013 titled; "Europe's Papers Pressured," by Manuela Mesco and Sam Schechner which noted the erosion of profits and revenue of Europe's print media. Circulation is down, advertising sales are down, revenue is down and thus, profits are also down. Could it get any worse, statistically speaking; yes, the trend is a continued downturn each consecutive year.
The trend across the pond is similar to what is happening in the US and what we consider to be an unstoppable trend unless you are Jeff Bezos and know something about re-inventing media in the information age of social networking that we don't - and yes, he does, obviously, in fact, he is voting for himself with his own money when he bought the Washington Post from an old timer family with political connections spanning 8 decades. It's not just mainstream media in the US, specialty media is taking a huge hit as well. Consider this next case study below.
MSNBC published an interesting reprint from Reuters (just that simple statement tells you part of the problem with print media) titled; "Penthouse Files for bankruptcy," by Tom Hals and Sakthi Prasad, Reuters, posted online on September 17, 2013 which stated; "Maybe sex doesn't sell that well after all. FriendFinder Networks, publisher of Penthouse magazine and numerous adult-entertainment websites, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy."
We should expect all print media - even specialty media to be hit in the digital age. Specialty media was quite competitive prior to the information age or the concept of industry portals or specialty websites with forums concentrating on a niche of the human endeavor. Perhaps, Penthouse is a poor example of specialty media, but if something which is so desired by a society cannot make it, then what can? I have noted with Industry trade journals which once came so frequently from lists without even asking - no longer show up each month.
Well, if you are an environmentalist you might think this is great - save the trees, but all of this causing a lot of disruption in distribution channels - the USPS for instance - advertising agencies - writers, just to name a few. Just because it is a specialty media publication doesn't mean it's safe, just because it has survived the competition up until means nothing - the game has changed - yes forever. Please consider all this and think on it.
There was an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal on September 17, 2013 titled; "Europe's Papers Pressured," by Manuela Mesco and Sam Schechner which noted the erosion of profits and revenue of Europe's print media. Circulation is down, advertising sales are down, revenue is down and thus, profits are also down. Could it get any worse, statistically speaking; yes, the trend is a continued downturn each consecutive year.
The trend across the pond is similar to what is happening in the US and what we consider to be an unstoppable trend unless you are Jeff Bezos and know something about re-inventing media in the information age of social networking that we don't - and yes, he does, obviously, in fact, he is voting for himself with his own money when he bought the Washington Post from an old timer family with political connections spanning 8 decades. It's not just mainstream media in the US, specialty media is taking a huge hit as well. Consider this next case study below.
MSNBC published an interesting reprint from Reuters (just that simple statement tells you part of the problem with print media) titled; "Penthouse Files for bankruptcy," by Tom Hals and Sakthi Prasad, Reuters, posted online on September 17, 2013 which stated; "Maybe sex doesn't sell that well after all. FriendFinder Networks, publisher of Penthouse magazine and numerous adult-entertainment websites, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy."
We should expect all print media - even specialty media to be hit in the digital age. Specialty media was quite competitive prior to the information age or the concept of industry portals or specialty websites with forums concentrating on a niche of the human endeavor. Perhaps, Penthouse is a poor example of specialty media, but if something which is so desired by a society cannot make it, then what can? I have noted with Industry trade journals which once came so frequently from lists without even asking - no longer show up each month.
Well, if you are an environmentalist you might think this is great - save the trees, but all of this causing a lot of disruption in distribution channels - the USPS for instance - advertising agencies - writers, just to name a few. Just because it is a specialty media publication doesn't mean it's safe, just because it has survived the competition up until means nothing - the game has changed - yes forever. Please consider all this and think on it.
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