Key for Traditional media owners to succeed in THE NEW NEW Media world is to determine their unique strenghts and essential characteristics and then focus.

If the relevant organisations can understand their unique strengths and the essential characteristics to their offer then there is the possibility of mapping a sustainable future. Digital has changed the landscape for good; time is fast ticking away for the traditional media owners to seriously get on board. (Post: The changing face of media).

Take newspaper publishers. For a long time, newspapers have not been only about “news”; nor have they been only on paper. They have been about selection and quality content; they have signposted other sources of information.

For newspapers, there are certain areas where each has strengths. Focus needs to be brought firmly back to these strengths, other areas stimulating wider engagement, discovery or back-fill.

The new digital technologies can and should empower individual journalists, helping redefine what a journalist is and what skills they need – and which consumers can support in the role. (Post: Changing shape of content). Responsibility for value needs to pass to the writer, as the new sales (or preferred ‘engagement’) agents they need to be tasked to deliver the returns.

Different models can and will co-exist, paywalls potentially one of them. The key will be to deliver content that has a perceived value, achieves distribution and engagement. Then the revenue can flow.

Take directory publishers. For a long time directories have not just been about “business listings”, nor have they been only on paper. They have been about comprehensive and quality local content; they have provided guidance on selecting the purchase.

For directory publishers, there are certain areas where they have strengths. Again focus needs to be brought firmly back to these strengths, other elements and features supporting the purchase decision, consumer action or discovery and engagement.

Different models can and will co-exist. The key will be to deliver a tangible value to the businesses or organisation spending money, to enhance their potential to be discovered, increase sales or support consumer interaction.

The challenges facing both are not dissimilar.

To succeed, traditional media owners need to rethink radically not only their business models, but also how they manage their businesses; they need to overhaul outdated organisational structures; they need to consider how they relate to all their employees, to third-party providers of content and services, and to individuals with whom they may have no contractual arrangement whatsoever.

Most crucially, they need to rethink how they relate to their communities of readers, subscribers, and users, when they know next to nothing about members of their digital audience. They need to identify their most loyal users and then work harder to meet their individual needs.

First instance, they need to embrace THE NEW NEW Media world – many still have not. They need to get people involved that understand the new world and importantly what it is going to take to transform their organisations. The Telegraph Media Group (TMG) is one of the traditional players to publically recognise that a radical shift is required.

Under the guidance of editor-in-chief Will Lewis, TMG are transfering the digital parts of the old organisition into a new entrepreneurial digital venture – dubbed the Euston Project -  in order to “capitalise on cutting edge ideas” and “drive new revenue streams”. Their target clearly stated as a move to turn TMG, or a significant chunk of it, from a media company into a digital company. For many an approach of isolating ’digital’ is what is really going to be required to potentially succeed – others should follow this lead.

One thing that is for sure for traditional media owners to succeed, it is going to be a tough and long journey – but they need to get moving.

 At Indigo102 we can support in helping develop digital strategy and in particular define how mobile can play a valuable part, and then helping to deliver - we demonstrate the ways you can get better results without necessarily investing more.

(Image: binaural-beat-digital-drug by digitalbob8 from flickr.com) 

Titled The New New Media, six articles will form a short series about the changing media environment. For other articles click here.

pl. me·di·a: A means of mass communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television.

The media industry has changed. The way media is delivered, the way we consume media has changed. It was not that long ago the majority of content was created by professionals and published by professionals, content was exclusive. Content created and pushed to our eyes and ears. A newspaper, magazine, television programme, website, everything used to be pushed and we consumed. Content is no longer pushed, today it is increasingly pulled. Digital technologies have changed the rules.

THE CREATOR AND CREATED HAS CHANGED. Content is no longer exclusively the domain of the professional. Content can be created and published by anyone. Barriers have been removed. Professionals still create and publish, but so do the rest of us. The quality has not dropped, the form has simply changed.  Content used to be based on structure and format. Words came in paragraphs, broadcasts came in programmes. Today snippets are the norm.

We consume increasing volume of content in flashes; Words come in 140 characters, broadcasts in one and a half minute bursts. Content is increasingly distributed via text message, or through services like Twitter or Youtube. Consumers create content and comment on existing content. Sometimes this content or comment links to or refers to content created by professionals or published by professionals, but often not. Consumers now dominate in the content stakes, they are the lead in create and share. The balance of power has shifted. The creator has changed.

Snippets are summaries; what is going on, something that has happened, a headline, a piece of information. They create interest; desire to pull more linked to headline, subject, content, tone, language, need or even the creator. Snippets grab attention, or do not. Interest generated in a nano second, we both engage and pull more or we walk away. Choose to walk we are informed, stay consume and we become more informed. Our ability, or desire, to consume rafts of content is diminishing. Summaries are often enough; content succinct, messages stark. The created has changed.

So why does this matter?

Desire and appetite for knowledge and information is not waning, content consumption is exponentially growing. Digital technologies are seeing to that. The challenge for the professionals is to understand how to take advantage; how to create, package, promote their content. Get this right and there are riches to be made. A snippet is more than a headline - control the snippet – it is the new way of marketing and commercialising content.

Importance of mobile is increasing, the channel is set to become a primary content environment for the majority. Gearing content and commercial capabilities for mobile will be key. 

Need more advice?  We specialise in mobile and are here to help.

(Image: Squashed Green golf ball creates chair designed by jean marie massaud truffle)

pl. me·di·a: A means of mass communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television.

The media industry has changed. The emergence of digital technologies has seen to that, more people are reached by media and more frequently than ever before. With more people engaging with media why do we continue to hear stories about the media companies struggling to make returns?

THE FOUNDATION HAS CHANGED. If you consider that the foundation of the media industry is historically linked to those that deliver the media content to you – the distributor, news store, the paper boy or girl, publisher and broadcaster – we can start to see why digital technologies have had such a dramatic impact on the traditional media industry.

The foundation is not the road the printed publication travelled, or the sheet of paper that the content is printed, neither is it the airwaves that carries a broadcast signal, it is not the content creator or the even the brand – it is the mechanism that actually delivers the content to eyes and ears.

Digital technologies have changed the landscape, although the principle of the foundation has not changed the players have. The foundation today is linked to organisation such as Google, Facebook, Youtube, Bebo, Skype and Twitter – they are now the mechanism that delivers content to eyes and ears. These players have been brought about by our every increasing appetite to consume and share news and information. The change has been rapid as digital technologies remove the barriers associated to the traditional media. The format, location, distance and time are no longer considerations, the transfer of content and information can be instantaneous and to anywhere in the world.

The issue with the foundation is it has never been hugely lucrative. Think of the newspaper girl or boy they get just a few pence for each paper delivered, the newspaper delivery firm even less per delivered unit. In the traditional world there was money associated with the delivery. For the new foundation this has largely changed there is no money associated to distribution. If you take the list of the new players Google is in the anomaly in that it is the only one that has and is making real money. The others all have fabulous values attached to their organisations but have failed to show any real way to make a return.

So how come Google was different? Basically they got lucky they were in the right place at the right time, they had the right product for the moment and their product was simple. Their first mover advantage gave them a commanding position as a foundation provider. Without them it was harder to access and consume media in the digital environment they became the primary distributor. Google became synonymous with searching on the internet. This commanding position meant that they were able to place a premium charge against the use of the foundation. In the old world they attached the equivalent of a toll charge to a main road or motorway, a placement of 3” border full of sponsorship around the edge of your favourite television programme.

It is unlikely that such a commanding position for other new foundation providers will be achieved as the digital media environment has become fragmented. Third parties have gained a position at the point of actual delivery to the consumer, Organisations like Tweetdeck now provide the interface to Twitter and Facebook,  the foundation role is weakened as consumers have choice and as such commercialisation becomes more challenging. Many of the prospective players will fail to deliver returns - they no longer have exclusive control of distribution and they don’t have the infrastructure, resources or experience.  

Importance of mobile is increasing, the channel is set to become a primary content environment for the majority. Gearing content and commercial capabilities for mobile will be key. 

Need more advice?  We specialise in mobile and are here to help.

(Image by Sebastian May, Artlab – University of Westminster)