There will be more deals between publishers and tech companies
The desire for hits, impressions and revenue is rapidly pushing news companies into the arms of the social giants. We’re at a stage where venerable global brands such as the New York Times and the Guardian are partnering with Facebook and Apple. They’re upstarts when it comes to news, yes, but their massive user bases are enticing publishers with promises of millions of newer and (crucially) younger readers…
Apple faces a tough fight with Facebook
Companies like Apple and Facebook have huge, incredibly rich data sets, allowing them to craft content portals that will keep millions of users within their walled gardens. While the barrier to entry for a consumer is very low for Facebook, the bar is slightly higher for iOS devices…
All content will be personalized
Networks like Facebook enable publishers to better know their audience, and then deliver the right content for that person at the right time. There has been a lot of experimentation with personalisation from media companies, but consumers looking for personalised news feeds often turn to tools like Feedly and Flipboard. This reflects the fact that in the news space, no one has really nailed personalisation yet…
Quality journalism will continue to thrive; paywalls may prosper
The frantic hunt for clicks is consuming traditional media outlets, forcing them to think about omnichannel strategy and online engagement rather than their unique selling point – quality reporting. Too many have tried to create content for content’s sake, despite competing against native platforms like BuzzFeed that have far more direct expertise in that world.
The publishers targeting the professional market are faring better, though. You only have to look at the success of the Financial Times, which has seen its recent profits grow after increasing subscriptions by over 21% in 2014. Business news outlets are also, by and large, less reliant on clickbait: more often than not, the news they publish will be read because it conveys critical information, rather than because its readers are idly browsing the web for any old content to consume. This engenders loyalty among a readership, a valuable commodity in today’s cut-throat media landscape…
New media companies will continue to attract investment
Concerns have been raised as to how attractive new media companies will be as investments should there be another economic slump. However, the fundraising activities of some of these organisations in recent years (Thrillist raised $54m recently, for example) mean that they are able to be very agile when it comes to finances and operations – an alien concept to many traditional media organisations, who have relied on staid proprietor models for decades. The acquisition of Business Insider by media giant Axel Springer for $343m is indicative of a need for different business models for monetising – BI Insights is the money-making jewel in their crown…
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