Newspaper death and Rebirth

The Zerb posted on the death of newspapers and I was moved to comment

Newspapers are far from dead. Particularily in cities like Toronto blessed with several. And they will not be dead if they a) produce quality product which means spending money, b) recognize that the internet is their friend rather than enemy, c) figure out creative ways of monetizing existing content (and having your own TV station does not count).

What newspapers need to be looking at and looking at hard is the fast advance of “electric paper”, wi-fi and iPod multi GB on the go storage.

Dead tree newspapering with a twenty four hour cycle and a particular closing deadline is dying. However, the skills which can create a Toronto Star or Globe and Mail (or even the Sun) are going to be in huge demand.

The question is, however, whether it will be Torstar which will be demanding them. What second generation, wireless broadband, enabled, electronic pulbishing is getting ready to do is eliminate the need for the printing presses and distribution networks which are the publisher’s contribution to getting the paper out.

Just to give you a flavour: imagine that you subscribe to the Zerb/Heather Mallick/Rick Salutin and Judy Rebick as well as a Reuters RSS and a headline feed from AP/CP. This mix is sent in a constant stream to your wi-ffi enable iPod which stores it until you open your electric paper in the morning. It has live links to video coverage (including A-J) which you access on the e-paper which can show video. Click a link and - if you have not already got a subscription - will charge you half a cent to see the vid.

Here’s the thing…all the technology I am describing here already exists. The only hang is really readable electric paper.

Written by jay on March 30th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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