Comments on: The State of the News Media 2008 http://writtenbyallof.us/2008/03/24/the-state-of-the-news-media-2008/ Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:06:30 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Gary Slack http://writtenbyallof.us/2008/03/24/the-state-of-the-news-media-2008/comment-page-1/#comment-330 Gary Slack Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:31:32 +0000 http://writtenbyallof.us/2008/03/24/the-state-of-the-news-media-2008/#comment-330 A year ago, while serving as a panelist at an American Business Media event, I was asked point-blank by the editor of a prominent industry trade publication how agencies and marketers expected industry publications to maintain editorial quality and integrity as we continue to shift marketing investments from print (and even online) advertising to PR? Fair question and one I'd pondered before but really didn't have an answer for...not then and not now. The reality is that shifting ad dollars to PR dimes (dimes that go to PR firms, not the media) is rife among many b-to-b marketers today, few of whom think of the long-term implications of their short-term decisions. I don't blame them. In the short run (how they're measured), they're saving oodles of money but in the long run they're killing the golden goose that's giving them all of the low-cost share of voice they're enjoying through PR-centric efforts. Do I believe they should up their investment in print advertising to save or support the goose? No, I don't think marketers should ever think they "owe" the media such support. While it might make sense for a few, the majority would continue the free ride they're enjoying on the backs of those marketers who still advertise, whether it's working for them or not. Do I think industry pubs should charge for PR coverage? Absolutely not! Let's not even go there, although the practice is prevalent in other regions of the world. The reality is that it's up to the business media to make itself more desirable, more buyable. How? Through innovation—new ways to connect suppliers to buyers...custom publishing, better web sites, more online advertising plays, events, etc. Still, it's an uphill battle for many b-to-b publishers. Events are doing well, but, with a few exceptions, they're trading (to use the analogy again) dollars for dimes as marketers shift from print to online advertising. Publishers are largely to blame, as so many kicked off their Web presences as added value (e.g., free) to print advertisers or made it dirt cheap in the beginning. Their online properties should be generating more revenue today, and in more and more cases they are. One savvy industry publisher told me recently it's now very close to a dollars-to-dollars relationship. But, still, this doesn't solve the shift from advertising in general to PR, although web-centric industry news sources can operate much more cheaply and efficiently (no paper, ink or postage). I still feel sorry, though, for that pained editor and the difficulty she was having then, and must be having now, in recruiting and retaining staff when the same marketers who used to buy ads to announce the next new big thing now just want to pay PR people to talk to her reporters about their latest and greatest. A year ago, while serving as a panelist at an American Business Media event, I was asked point-blank by the editor of a prominent industry trade publication how agencies and marketers expected industry publications to maintain editorial quality and integrity as we continue to shift marketing investments from print (and even online) advertising to PR? Fair question and one I’d pondered before but really didn’t have an answer for…not then and not now. The reality is that shifting ad dollars to PR dimes (dimes that go to PR firms, not the media) is rife among many b-to-b marketers today, few of whom think of the long-term implications of their short-term decisions. I don’t blame them. In the short run (how they’re measured), they’re saving oodles of money but in the long run they’re killing the golden goose that’s giving them all of the low-cost share of voice they’re enjoying through PR-centric efforts. Do I believe they should up their investment in print advertising to save or support the goose? No, I don’t think marketers should ever think they “owe” the media such support. While it might make sense for a few, the majority would continue the free ride they’re enjoying on the backs of those marketers who still advertise, whether it’s working for them or not. Do I think industry pubs should charge for PR coverage? Absolutely not! Let’s not even go there, although the practice is prevalent in other regions of the world. The reality is that it’s up to the business media to make itself more desirable, more buyable. How? Through innovation—new ways to connect suppliers to buyers…custom publishing, better web sites, more online advertising plays, events, etc. Still, it’s an uphill battle for many b-to-b publishers. Events are doing well, but, with a few exceptions, they’re trading (to use the analogy again) dollars for dimes as marketers shift from print to online advertising. Publishers are largely to blame, as so many kicked off their Web presences as added value (e.g., free) to print advertisers or made it dirt cheap in the beginning. Their online properties should be generating more revenue today, and in more and more cases they are. One savvy industry publisher told me recently it’s now very close to a dollars-to-dollars relationship. But, still, this doesn’t solve the shift from advertising in general to PR, although web-centric industry news sources can operate much more cheaply and efficiently (no paper, ink or postage). I still feel sorry, though, for that pained editor and the difficulty she was having then, and must be having now, in recruiting and retaining staff when the same marketers who used to buy ads to announce the next new big thing now just want to pay PR people to talk to her reporters about their latest and greatest.

]]> By: Clark http://writtenbyallof.us/2008/03/24/the-state-of-the-news-media-2008/comment-page-1/#comment-328 Clark Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:56:15 +0000 http://writtenbyallof.us/2008/03/24/the-state-of-the-news-media-2008/#comment-328 As a Journalism student (preface), I am mostly disappointed with the state of MSM, especially as it has related to the political season. The field itself is obviously in trouble (anybody actually READ the Sun-Times newspaper lately) as the news media hasbecome basically agencies that have to pander to an audience for ad dollars. As a Journalism student (preface), I am mostly disappointed with the state of MSM, especially as it has related to the political season.

The field itself is obviously in trouble (anybody actually READ the Sun-Times newspaper lately) as the news media hasbecome basically agencies that have to pander to an audience for ad dollars.

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