One of the very interesting presentations at the just concluded WAN Conference in Amsterdam was from William Powers, the Media Columnist for the National Magazine in the US and the author of the essay on the enduring power of the newspaper titled Hamlet’s Blackberry.
He argues that the paper is an ‘island of peace’ in the age of ‘digital chaos’. Among other things, he argues, the paper “frees up the brain to think”. (Click here to read the gist of his presentation)
He argues that the paper is an ‘island of peace’ in the age of ‘digital chaos’. Among other things, he argues, the paper “frees up the brain to think”. (Click here to read the gist of his presentation)
“Paper’s great strength is that it allows the mind to ‘settle down’ into that peaceful deep-dive state in which we do our best thinking. This state is much harder to achieve when we’re reading in the digital medium, where there is endless information, and so many possible tasks to undertake at any moment. On the internet, there is no beginning and no end.
Newspapers would do well to exploit these qualitative strengths over Digital Media.
Instead, “much of the media coverage of digital technology reads like product marketing. New digital devices are released, and journalists cover them the way they cover new movies. There’s a cheerleading to the whole exercise, an air of hype”, he said.
To me a newspaper is like a “sparring friend”. You enjoy talking to him, arguing or even fighting at times. And, that is not just a source of intellectual stimulation – but provides its reader a sense of identity. So, you have a paper like the Ananda Bazar Patrika in Bengal – its readers seldom agree with its viewpoint – whether on politics or sports (and, often take the nastiest jibes at it). Yet, they can’t do without or ignore it either – which led to their classic campaign “Ananda Bazar ki bollo ?” (what did ABP have to say)
Much as I would like to believe that's not who I am, I can’t but agree with the tag line of the new HT Café in Mumbai…..”You are what you read”!!
1 comment:
Valuable observations here!
For once I agree to a comment made by a media person of global stature.
The cynic in me would, however, like to say that the print-media industry, with its back almost fevi-qwicked to the new-media's peripheral wall, does not have much option. Its high time people started being "honest".
having said that, the skeptic soul also wants to know "how many" among the glamorous attendees are going to bring back the "comforting" factor back in their printed pages?
On the positive side I do find some serious efforts to pump out murky water from the almost sunk industrial ships. Future Retail, for example, has taken a wonderful decision of building a fresh franchise on "india's Ethnic routes". In the same breath Big Bazaar has started "changing" & is hellbent on making a trip to its stores "much more than a trip to another Gricery outlet". Makes me feel good.
Intrinsically fast-track managers have had access to not only the stake holders' funds to experiment with, but also (from most patriarchs in decision making positions) express authority by their respective boards.
Many a directors indulged in almost parent-like personal pride in showcasing their premuim young-turks weaned away from the top ranked business schools.
I see no harm in mentoring & prepping a good candidate, but don't we all know how millions of parents indulge their lovely child & push them towards a bleak future?
Media too, like all other indutries, needs to realise that short-term is NOT sustainable. The one-up race is filled with possibly fatal potholes.
The Anandabazar Patrikas & Hindus of this world may have been considered "stodgy" in marketing, "slow" to adapt (to the shoot-from-the-hip culture) and "painfully traditional" in their approach. They may not have made much hay on bright and sunny days too.
BUT, as they remain buried very deep inside the reader's heart, they are not left wet & cold in this gllomy rainy season either!
That's the power of "sustainable business built on fundamentally sound customer insights".
And yes, before I forget, this approach also proves that responsibility spans on both sides of the page - even stakeholders stay "comfortable" that way.
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