NEWSPAPERS will have to adopt a multimedia strategy, embracing mobile phones, iPods and even PlayStation Portables, if they are to survive in the digital era.
Mr Murdoch said: “Crucially, newspapers must give readers a choice of accessing their journalism in the pages of the paper, or on websites such as Times Online or — and this is important — on any platform that appeals to them, mobile phones, handheld devices, iPods, whatever.” The new consumer trends also meant that power was shifting, away from “the old elite in our industry — the editors, the chief executives, and let’s face it, the proprietors ” and towards a “new media audience” who were using the internet and new technology “to inform, entertain and above all to educate themselves”.
However, despite the perceived shift in power in which “newspapers may become news sites”, Mr Murdoch said that history showed that changes in technology do not eliminate media that began life in another era — implying that the current climate of rapid change is nothing new.
“Radio did not destroy newspapers, television did not destroy radio, and neither eliminated the printing of books.” He added: “Each wave of new technology in our industry forced an improvement in the old.”
But, the proprieters of established technology who dedicate their energies to defending their fortunes instead of evolving into competitiveness — are committing themselves to extinction.
I find it sad to see the local newspaper struggle to stay alive. Every few weeks I can go down to the local grocery and find a couple of newspaper folks giving away free copies. I renewed my last subcription with a “buy one month, get three free” plan. My subscription has run out and they want sixty bucks for six months. Don’t think I’m going to renew.
And my son-in-law works at the paper . . . in the print room . . . and he loves his job. I haven’t the heart to tell him that I hate papers cluttering up the house and would rather get the news off the Internet.
I feel like I’m firing my own son-in-law.
Guess I’ll send them the sixty bucks.
Here’s the truth: For as long as there are trees, newspapers will exist because it IS THE PREMIUM FORM of storing information. A newspaper can be accessed without a computer and without logging into the internet. Well known and extablished newspapers are permanent documents that are admissible in legal transactions.
When the world runs out of trees, I guess the next candidate would be a synthetic form of paper that is provides an indelible, unalterable record of history, opinion, and folly.
Ok.. So when is the RIAA and MPAA gonna die?!
Don’t forget Wayne, they have the choice to evolve too.
Ha! I’m so funny! Like that’ll ever happen!
Aussieland is changing it’s media owning laws……and guess who’s in line to *evolve* into ownership of several Aussieland newspapers?
It’s a shame that buyouts, cutthroat practices and all the rest have made the *hometown* newspaper a thing of the past, some of the few that are left are a great read. I’m tired of cities where all I have the choice of is the liberal rag or the conservative rag, I would just like to see the return of the give them all hell newspaper rags.
Evolve or die…..unless you are really rich and can be an ass old dinosaur and get by by blowing cash to buy up companies that did the evolving for you. And when you drag those entities down you can just buy more. Money cant buy happieness, but it will do ya a good deal on a lifetime lease.
“But, the proprieters of established technology who dedicate their energies to defending their fortunes instead of evolving into competitiveness — are committing themselves to extinction.”
Hey, time marches on. Sometimes the guy with horse and wagon delivering ice can not “evolve” into comptitiveness (ie: become a refridgerator manufacturer).
The newspapers can (possibly) evolve to the next generation of delivery, but the people who make and run the printing presses, there is no evolutionary path.
The funniest things about Murdoch is that he is actually a registered Democrat and is a supporter of Hillary Clinton. Hence the direction his news channel has moved in since the last election and its coverage of Clinton.