'New Media'

What will the future of media consist of and how is that different from the current model?

Consumers of news have seen a transition since the late nineties away from newspapers and toward internet based free websites. Internet pages update regularly forcing ink covered dailies to report old news.  A new term has popped up in recent years new media. It is basically what you imagine, social media like Facebook and twitter, podcasts available through streaming and interactive webinars. Old media like newspapers and radio broadcasts will still probably hang in there as a business model for a while, but won’t get the numbers (audience/readership) it used to. We’ve already seen this be true in live TV broadcasts, Netflix stealing much of TV surfing crowd.

The general thrust of new media is the interactive quality and the feedback mechanisms for regular folks. This to me is the most frustrating aspect of new media and why I don’t have a Twitter account. No, I don’t care what @Frank156 in Omaha thinks about the Huskers D line this year. Please keep your thoughts on ‘campus rape culture’ to yourself @VTechRachel, and your ‘proof’ on 911 conspiracies @NorfolkTruther. Some like the idea of an open all-views-welcome type of format where opinions come from everywhere. This is where Twitter falls short. Trolls reduce the content to a muddy pig pen. Like the public library, Twitter surrounds the reader with endless knowledge but too much time is spent avoiding panhandlers in the lobby. Free stuff online is overrun with freeloaders.

Also, not all opinions are equal. A missionary with experience in India knows more about food shortages in Gujarat than a guy who read a story on the BBC. The guy who just read the story is more likely to share his ‘expertise’. People with experience (I won’t say experts) should be the ones media goes to when seeking comments for information. This is an old media staple and something I don’t think will change even in the diffuse landscape of new content. What will change, already has, is the long form interviews and talks on wonkish subjects for grad students like economic policy or gear heads on motorcycle maintenance. Most of this stuff has been available for years but the communication (the web) has leveled the field and spread the interests out.

The best sources of news and information for the future will be diffuse. I listen to podcasts on various subjects from modern China and technology, to Christian teaching, and interviews with Comedians. This allows the best at their trade to teach to the listener/viewer without a journalistic interpretation. Nothing against journalists, they are generalists where an expert knows the subject intimately. The best part, it is cheap! Anyone with decent recording software can piece together a podcast, or simulcast, on a topic they are into. I listened to a self-described ‘roller coaster fiend’ give details about the speed and tilt of coasters around the country. I enjoyed listening to this tech friendly guy who had put a website together for other ‘fiends’ like him, talk about and share his passion for theme park rides.   

Media companies like News Corp and AOL/Time Warner will continue buying whatever looks promising but expect smaller ratings across their range. The vast number of choices for consumers means only audience heavy events like the Super Bowl are a sure thing. 

I watched an interview with Rupert Murdoch a few years ago where he outlined very simply how he has expanded his media juggernaut so effectively. “Content” was the word he used probably fifty times when asked about success in ratings and vision for the future of media. He was at pains to explain to the reporter that it didn’t matter what the content was, just that if it was quality people would listen, read and watch. The reporter wanted to pin Murdoch down on what type of content was best, or what subjects and analysis were considered best. Murdoch basically said that it didn’t matter, the cream will always rise whether in print or radio, TV or website.

This new media reality is a relief for people with big ideas but small wallets. Make the content good and people will find it.  A market will always exist for quality content, The CEO of News Corp said so!