Not that it’s anything we think the New York Times Company should do, but we thought it was worth pointing out that it would cost the Times about half as much money to send every single one of its subscribers a brand new Amazon Kindle instead of a physical newspaper each day. more…
So that got me thinking about the media futurists I read who have counted out the possibility of newspapers successfully monetizing the web. Perhaps digital paper is too far off to be a feasible new way to read the “paper” but is it too far fetched to say that a new technology could save them? Perhaps a new Kindle or some larger “e-book” friendlier version of the iPhone? *Michelle Machmanus, of OHL, pointed out via a Linkedin discussion there is new thinner & lighter tech on the way like a fascinating e-book reader from PlasticLogic.com.
Certainly newspapers will have to create a new business model shedding expensive presses and delivery staff regardless, but what if major newspapers got in bed with tech companies much like the Apple & At&T deal? Right now devices like the Kindle are extremely expensive for average consumers who don’t travel much and they compete with lower priced gadgets like cell phones. Could a subscription model emerge that would subsidize the cost of a Kindle (for example) enough to convince the consumer to purchase a Kindle and a NY Times subscription? Do Randomhouse and other book publishers need to get on board to create an Itunes version for newspapers and books?
Through my own experience working in media, I believe the newspaper industries biggest challenge is cultural not technological. Maybe it won’t be a newspaper investing in new tech, maybe an “Amazon.com” will purchase a newspaper’s identity, hire a slew of unemployed writers, editors & photographers, deploy them across the across the country and create a new generation of Kindle News.
What? It could happen:-)
Unfortunately I have not used a Kindle prior to writing this and don’t know how the user experience of reading a newspaper on one would rate. I do have an ipod Touch and find that reading e-magazines on it is do-able, although not ideal. If you have a Kindle or some insight as to what it would take to make the leap from paper to e-gadget, please weigh-in below in the comments and let me know if you would subscribe to national / local news sites if they gave you a discounted Kindle or iPhone.
…where antennas are torn down, all its stuff is being hacked up into little pieces, rebuilt, re-evaluated, repackaged, re-purposed or thrown away. Oh, Radio and Newspaper live next door.
Much like other bow-tie managed entities, years (decades) of excessive profits have created an industry wide comfort zone where many execs have come and gone, cashing in/out along the way.Of course those days are at an end with Main Stream Media (MSM) companies taking a severe public beating. With hundreds of job cuts at NBC and other companies, Tribune’s bankruptcy, the end of PC Mag’s “-azine” and the constant whine of revenue loss from newspapers, those left rowing the boat are being punished for those who have rowed before.
Perhaps broadcast deserve a little break though; after all they’ve been distracted by micro evolutions within their own space such as time shifting programs, Sony gear versus Panasonic, increased competition from newspapers, retransmission battles with cable, syndication issues, revenue swings from politics, etc. Then again, if you’re driving on the highway and distracted by a swarm of wasps inside your car, you’re still responsible for knowing that up ahead the bridge is out.
So as many philosophize the death of television, I wonder about a shift of massive proportions affecting multiple industries including radio, television and print collectively. Technology isn’t just killing television, it’s changing the way we communicate leaving the entire Main Stream Media up for grabs.
TV: The bigger picture shows no breaks for media content providers
So, yes traditional television will die in its current packagingonly to be reborn in other forms. Early versions hint that content may be split up by numerous new media providers like www.Hulu.com, Revision3 and others, but even as network parents try to maintain control and contain content Hulu struggles as “traditional media” repackaged in a shiny “new media” graphics. A blog, shortened commercial breaks and a widget don’t constitute a new business model. Regardless, it seems that technology from Boxee will continue the assault on media content providers by reconnecting users to content and thereby threatening to make brands irrelevant.Much like the way Google has made information brands (Webster, Wikipedia, etc.) irrelevant to the masses. After all, who cares / remembers the brand when relevant information from all brands it presented to you equally and immediately via search?
RADIO: Say NO to internet radio and yes to podcasting.
Due to its ease of use and the lack of public adoption of satellite & WIFI in vehicles and in the workplace (WIFI would deliver internet radio) it seems radio will outlive both traditional TV and newspapers. It also occurred to me that radio has the best advantage for “doubling down” on both their current analog business model and creating new online revenue streams. While TV & Print may have more money / audience behind them, staffs at radio stations are more nimble with less capital invested in equipment like printing presses and satellite trucks.Radio companies with diversified portfolios also have the attention of the tech savvy youth and vast audiences of local, high school & college sports within reach and ready to be converted to the next stats heavy online community. The real opportunity, however, is in the podcast race.With a clear advantage, as an industry, radio stations could surely take their fondness for formatting to an even deeper “niche” level and cash in big. NPR and others would have an even bigger advantage if they were to launch a massive information assault on the current community of podcasters and audio book creators.
NEWSPAPER: Don’t Go Changin’?
Of the MSMs there may be good reason for newspaper to not evolve.In fact there’s a very real possibility that some newspapers may find themselves rebuilding traditional staffs in the not so distant future! With the tension mounting by the Kindle and iPhone ebook apps, the newspaper industry finding a new home in the digital world on mobile devices in e-zine form. What would truly be mind blowing is if the newspaper industry could create its own tech revolution in “digital paper.”
So what’s the point? The point is that all of this is transitional and that the better able you are to adapt the more likely you are to survive. Survival will not come from your next show, tonight’s ratings or this weekend’s paper sales but from investing in new products, technology and actually listening to customers because the comfort zone is lost.
With a mission to empower small businesses to be more engaging, creative and unique, I hope this new website becomes your go-to resource for “New Marketing” ideas and information. Thank you for your understanding and any feedback emailed to Richard @ RABpromo dot com.
With a mission to empower small businesses to be more engaging, creative and unique, I hope this new website becomes your go-to resource for “New Marketing” ideas and information. Thank you for your understanding and any feedback emailed to Richard @ RABpromo dot com.
This series of articles is evolving into the new marketing resource for small businesses www.InovediaMarketing.com. This is an effort to create a more comprehensive marketing resource and improve this site’s continuity. This link will take you to the Tips “How to and Demonstrational Video.”
With a mission to empower small businesses to be more engaging, creative and unique, I hope this new website becomes your go-to resource for “New Marketing” ideas and information. Thank you for your understanding and any feedback emailed to Richard @ RABpromo dot com.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been entertained by the slick Mac vs. PC commercials that have repeatedly taken shots at Microsoft and to Microsoft’s discredit… Mac had a point, a lot of very good points. But you know all that and you probably know how much of the personnel computing market that Mac has been gaining over the last years… also to Microsoft’s discredits.
So finally we see Microsoft return fire in an incredibly clever branding move, Microsoft has now turned the branding war into a game of chess. While this spot is well done in an upbeat “we are the world” fashion, Microsoft has been ignoring it’s brand for as long as I can remember and its customers for even longer. While it’s nice to be seen as “friendly” and “of the people” Microsoft has bigger problems, they need to overcome labels like: “Overly complicated for no apparent reason” “difficult to maintain and update” “user-unfriendly” (and in vista’s case) “what the hell is this” or “counter intuitive” “constantly updating” “look it’s updating again and it’ll still suck” and so the list goes on. Certainly if Microsoft doesn’t step up its product and CRM, there will be different translations for their new “I am a PC” phrase like: I am overly complicated, I am user-unfriendly, etc. Not to hindsight bash Microsoft, but I believe they missed real opportunities with Vista. Vista could have been the new “uber” operating system everyone should want… I remember the first iterations of Windows being seen as wondrous improvements that were going to make my systems fly. The other big opportunity lost was their lack of intuitiveness in the product. What were they thinking?
As an aside, I just wan to mention that Microsoft is in th midst of another product nightmare with Internet Explorer and they’re probably trying to put out the “Vista fire” first, but it’ll be very interesting to see what happens on the browser side. Anyway, these next strategic branding moves are going to be ever more important and one could argue this is the best branding show since the rise of Avis. Below you’ll find a newest PC spot, I’ll try to post more of the campaign by this afternoon.
-Richard
It looks like I need to pass on the 3G iPhone. Truth be told, I found the 3G build up a big letdown and apparently I’m still a little bitter. Here’s why, Apple chose main stream instead of going geek, and I get it… there’s way more money in “world product domination” than there is in the “early adopter racket,” but is there longevity too? Let’s face it, Apple left me and many others out on the sidelines and consumers don’t give many mulligans. Can Apple serve the masses and still deliver to the geeks or will it cost them their coolness? Is this reminiscent of the 1982 Cadillac Cimarron, the Cadillac everyone could afford (that in turn arguably killed Cadillac)? …or is the iPhone so cool and such a niche product they can stay ahead of the curve with the apps store? I submit to you what could be a bad sign, this 3G iPhone commercial which takes a sharp turn away from the very cool ipod/iphone commercials we love so much. That being said, I predict a very cool phone in the near future that will cost me a fortune and replenish Apple of their coolness, after all the may have already done the impossible by in fact, spreading “Apple coolness” to the masses. So, while we wait to see how long Apple can fight off competition while keeping the geeks at bay and working the buzz machine, I’ll keep going through rss feeds and Google alerts searching for a sign that the next multi-camera 32 gig iPhone with at least one 5 megapixel phone (oh, and while I dream it can acts as a wifi router and… wait for it… cut and paste). That reminds me, somebody needs to talk to BMW about the 1-series.
-Richard
(updated / reposted 9/18/08, originally posted 6/26/08)
To all broadcasters, agency reps, media buyers, radio folks, newspaper, billboard, magazine, and all other ad supported media out there… Google’s CEO has declared war on you and entire ad supported business model be it television, print, web or whatever.You see, last week Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared on CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Kramer and while the majority of the show focused on Jim cheerleading for Google stock, Mr. Schmidt uttered 2 words during the program that caught my attention “Measurable Advertising.” That’s right, Google has discovered your weak link and they just let the cat out of the bag.
(Insert cliché of choice here equivalent to “The time is now!”).
So, assemble your greatest minds, begin new research projects, prepare to storm the Neilson gates or whatever you need to do, but focus your efforts on how you’re going to compete against “Measureable Advertising” because like it or not, Nielson may have met its match and you may soon be taking a check from Google’s ad placement technology.
Not possible? Okay, let’s see:
Google already has self ad-serving tools for placing one’s own television, radio and internet ads.
Google will continue growing these types of partnerships until they can deliver ads across multiple platforms to any region or demographic in the country (or world).
*ABC has since joined and Hulu is now offering a pre-roll option to allow for a continuous viewing experience. 7-06-09
Today we’re looking at www.Hulu.com, a year old partnership by Fox / NBC to see if they can make money putting their video online.First a review because what’s interesting about Hulu is that until recently I thought it was just another stab at ad supported video. Now, to some degree it seems to be just that, but the following articles are significant because they demonstrate milestones for the inevitable 180 degree turn video content providers are forced to take due to the “anytime” nature of the web. This means that the networks may finally be “getting it” but while that may be good news, the bad news is advertisers are not getting it at all.So here you go, a review, Hulu articles and an answer to the question, “Will Hulu work?”
The good, the bad and the ugly
While I didn’t get crazy analyzing the site to death, I did watch a couple of episodes of USA’s Burn Notice and here are some thoughts.The good, Hulu is a great looking site with a fairly intuitive interface and video quality / streaming are very good.You can skip around without hassle; remember when you had to start over if you messed with the status bar? The bad, I’ve heard rumblings about content moving around and sporadic posting, which I can’t attest to myself, as I am not a frequent user.If this is true, however, it could be the end all be all for the product because without consistency there is no loyalty.The ugly, advertising aren’t “getting it” yet… or to rephrase that “someone’s not explaining it correctly to advertisers.” Yes, you have better recall if you see the same ad a bazillion times, but then people hate you.Hulu has a bad case of this syndrome, it’s not incurable, but it’s a problem nonetheless.I highly recommend last week’s TWIM (This Week in Media) podcast #100 at about the half way point there is a lot of discussion about advertising as content / entertainment.
There’s this gem from an interesting CNET report today on how Hollywood is warming to YouTube.
Hulu may have already hurt YouTube and Google in one significant way, according to one media executive. The portal has helped to establish revenue splits between online video distributors and content owners.
“The days of the 50-50 split between content owners and Web sites are over,” said the executive. “Content owners are not going to take less than 70 percent anymore and some are getting 90 percent. In Hulu’s case, 70 percent goes to the content owner. Hulu takes 20 and the Web sites who have distribution deals get 10 percent.”
These aren’t close to what Google was willing to accept in the past, but the search giant now appears more willing to compromise, said two studio executives.
I think this is part of a bigger trend that we’ll see developing in the next 24 months, as the revenue pendulum swings in favor of publishers. ESPN started the ball rolling by declining to take ads from the ad networks anymore, choosing to do its own ad serving. In so doing, it announced to the world that it and it alone would determine the value of its content.
Keeping on top of Hulu’s newest and most popular videos just got easier with the release of Hulu’s new Widget Gallery. These widgets — portable pieces of HTML code — allow you to track the videos in your queue, as well as Hulu’s top videos, from your desktop, personal blog or iGoogle page.
The Hulu Player Widget allows you to watch a variety of videos from the widget itself. Embeddable on your desktop, blog and personal home page, you can play videos from your queue or Hulu’s featured, most popular or recently added lists, or you can find other shows, movies or clips on Hulu and other sites using the search bar within the widget. You can read the rest this blog entry here.
So, will it work? Yes… ish (Richard)
If the networks continue to innovate. The Hulu Widget Gallery is a great at this and if it the creativity continues Hulu will be a huge success. Unfortunately, innovation takes time to payoff and networks are not known for patients… especially nowadays.Worst case scenario, if Hulu is around long enough to survive the melding of desktop and entertainment center, it could be the 1st brand viewers recognize as web content worth watching in the living room.Now that being said, I don’t think the general public will use a keyboard and mouse in their living room even though there’s a new HP docking system for laptops that could circumvent Apple TV and make “computer as stereo receiver” viewing a reality for early adopters… click here to view the Cynopsis Digital article on the video out laptop dock. Also mentioned in this Cynopsis: Hulu’s new HD gallery. Now, all that being said I have to interject that I only believe Hulu has a chance in h*ll because it’s already hosting extremely popular content that is a proven draw and paid for. While networks may be able to use this platform to make a buck, this is not the platform for new content, podcasts, etc.
