Jun 12 2007
Right questions, wrong people.
Excellent summary of the World Editors Forum from the always insightful Rebecca McKinnon. The good news from Capetown:
“newspaper companies aren’t on the verge of death….whatever the format, people recognized that ultimately, newspapers’ survival will depend on journalism. Credible, accurate, and relevant journalism.”
Much of the optimism comes from the “Harris/Innovation News Readership Survey“. A worldwide survey of 9000 people which clearly shows that readers want in depth reporting dealing with the important issues - “there appears to be a new and urgent need for worldwide news“, and a demand to “create a context for what matters.”
Fortunately the conference ended in time for editors to return to their desks and switch their news teams from the G8 to Paris Hilton.
The Hains/Innovation survey asked a series of very penetrating questions concerning the public’s perception of the future of media. The answers are interesting I guess, from an academic point of view. But why would anyone pretend that the future of media is likely to be determined by the wishes of the general public?
As a member of the public I can proclaim with confidence that none of us are prepared to pay for the news we consume, however it is delivered. The move from broadcast TV and newspapers to IPTV and the net is being driven by the opportunities inherent in targeted advertising. Why ask the public what they want? Ask Rupert Murdoch and J Walter Thompson JR. what they are prepared to pay for.
The most successful consumer products company in the world is Apple Computer. Apple spend $0 on market research. The demand for iPods the day before they were announced was non-existent.
I think you might be right. The public predict a rise in online news from 18% to 25% over the next 5 years. This report suggests an increase in targeted advertising revenues of 1000% over the same period:
http://www.emarketer.com/Reports/All/Emarketer_2000415.aspx?src=report1_home