Newspaper Adopts Latest Online Video Tools; Surpasses TV ?

Local TV automatically wins the online news-video war? Not so fast there bucko. The pic on the right, is a multi-media setup  that some pioneering journalists are starting to use. It’s how Newspapers will move into the space that Broadcast used to own.

Newspaper reporters: getting out from behind their desks and reporting from the field. (where the news is breaking) They are gathering and uploading news (in all forms: text, video, stills, etc.) within a very short turn-around time. Sometimes it’s live. This trend is also an early look at how Newspaper will be able to go after juicy Broadcast and Cable advertising budgets.

Taking offline content and dumping it online will not be enough. For local media, it’s a start, but it’s far from a long-term winning strategy. As the news business teeters on becoming a commodity, smart local media operators are adding more value to their core competency of news. Online video and Rosenblum evangelized mobile journalism, will be a big part of that new value.

MoJo tool kits are compact, relatively cheap, and easy to use. Some feature the Nokia N95 phone for stills, video, and mobile uploading of reports. From my perch, Newspapers and independent journalists/bloggers are eating this stuff up, while TV sees these tools as amateur and sub-par. TV’s snubbing of mobile journalism will allow Newspapers and indie bloggers to carve out a substantial position in the online video and news space. Read Cyndy Green’s take on this here.

Samples of Newspaper online video. Gannett is doing it like this. The Shelby Star is doing it with their mobile STAR CAR. The Knoxville News Sentinel like this. Here’s a list of other Newspapers doing video. Granted, for some, the quality may need a bit more polish. That will certainly come with time.

Newspapers are also exploring Online Radio. For starters, they can basically stick a microphone in front of their outspoken writers on staff. Ex: Ron James from the San Diego Union Tribune is leveraging his print staff to program SignonRadio. (He also hired well known talent, recently downsized from local Clear Channel Radio stations.)

Why so bullish on Newspaper’s online future? They have the largest collection of writers to feed the online beast. Here in my hometown, Philadelphia Media Holdings (Inquirer, Daily News, Philly.com) employs about 450 journalists. That’s more than the combined newsrooms of every TV and Radio station news staff in the city. Add audio, video and other web 2.0 skill sets to their tool belt, and you get a massive, multi-media news organization with a size-able, meaningful head start in the online news space.

Now, combine all this new technology with a large sales force with strong advertiser relationships….. and you get a real shot at building a powerful local news business for the 21st century.

Below is part of a video demo, of the “Mobile Journalist” tool kit.

Local Media Dilemma: Integrate or Separate?

Video above: The New York Times print & web folks…side by side…in the newsroom; the integrated newsroom. It’s a look at how the newspaper industry is evolving into multi-media news organizations; where NYT employees are mandated to see web as equally important as print…..and in some cases, MORE important than print.

Kinda wish they took a look at how they direct the sales effort too. Does the print ad director sit next to the web sales manager? What is the bonus/commission structure like? How many reps sell web only? How many sell both print and web? How do they avoid sales cannibalization and in-fighting? How do they push more than just convergence up-sell packages? This is the stuff that can get really hairy at local media companies; building new revenue and sales models.

Experts suggest that media companies MUST turn their web efforts into separate businesses, complete with stand alone sales forces, offices, etc……and for the most part I agree. Yet with that strategy comes a few near term landmines. The biggest hurdle I believe, will be to find strong online sellers/managers to staff these online-only efforts, especially within the confines of a bootstrap budget. This will not be easy. 

A big can of worms.These newly hired web-only sellers could then be calling on the very same agencies and major advertisers that the traditional reps already have relationships with. Unless the financial motivation/bonus structures are adjusted, this will just cause an awful lot of in-fighting amongst reps. In addition, the media buyer would prefer just ONE point of contact with your company. These overworked agency types would HATE to carve out more meetings to learn about your company’s web packages, especially from eager green horns who hammer them all day with cold calls and email.

I’ve seen this firsthand: traditional reps selling against web reps; literally bad-mouthing the online offerings of the parent company. This happened because the commission structure and job description needed a refresh. The traditional manager offered up a measly 2% commission for each web sale. Behind closed doors, traditional reps would lament; “2% was not worth their time”. They also knew they would NOT catch heat, for NOT hitting their web budget.

Solution: Adopt a hybrid approach for the near term.Train and financially motivate traditional sales staff, while you build a separate web sales force to go after businesses that has been, for the most part, ignored. Maybe most importantly, make sure that the upper level managers get trained in all things web. How can they manage a web sales force, if they barely have a grasp of the online marketing space themselves?

Here’s a quick test to determine if you are managing and maximizing your web sales efforts properly. In regards to traditional sales staff, ask yourself these questions:

• Does each seller have a mandatory web budget to hit? How did you arrive at that number?
• Is the commission structure similar or better to what your NEW BIZ commission is?
• Are there penalties in place if the rep DOES NOT hit their web budget?
• Do you have senior reps that reluctantly sell web? Do they know their clients online strategy?
• What is the total local online spend in your market? What is your share?
• Does top management have strong grasp of web marketing? If not, how will they effectively manage the effort?

If some of these questions give you pause, that may be a sign that your web sales efforts are leaving alot of revenue on the table. Scott Karp at Publishing 2.0 is getting alot of feedback from this very issue. Read his recent post; “Online and Print Ad Sales: Time to Cut the Cord”. Check out the comments on his great blog here.

Got a question? Give me a call or drop me an email. Maybe I will see you at the interactive sessions at RAB in Atlanta ?

Terrestrial Music Radio on Last Legs ?

Watch clip above to see demo of the new NOKIA n95 mobile phone. It includes Internet radio; the ability to use this device to listen to any online radio station……no matter where you are. Indeed, this is MUCH more of a threat to terrestrial stations like Z-100 than satellite. HD radio will fare no better against this killer app. Could this offering from NOKIA be just one more nail in the coffin of ‘Big Radio’ ?

Radio needs to act fast, it’s current local web strategy is NOT working. A big part of it’s future revolves around the technology featured in this phone. David Martin digs into this issue, and does a great job at explaining why Radio still has alot of issues to sort out before it will succeed online: websites, staffing, training, investment, sales, etc. It’s a must read. Here’s a quick paragraph:

For radio to seriously get into the online game we need to, in the majority of cases, take the websites away from the clearly over-worked station folks. This is not to suggest that stations farm out the work, they would be better served by investment, bringing the work in-house and establishing dedicated online teams. With all respect to my friend Dan Mason making the program directors responsible for their websites is at best a temp solution.

Radio is no longer just an FCC license and a tower. Local terrestrial broadcasters that primarily play rock, oldies or top 40 are really in a bind.

Bind #1:  The new record label fees will cripple/kill their music streams.

Bind #2:  The ability to listen to ANY online radio station using I-phones, cells, and other mobile devices will increase competition exponentially.

Radio execs: “We’re not worried.” We can hear it now. Blustery and fearful Radio management saying things like…. We are the local, trusted brand. We have local connection. Nobody is better at packaging audio content than us. We are the BEST at audio content development.”

These defensive statements used to be true. Yet in a world of unlimited online choice, this will ring hollow with listeners as well as savvy media buyers.

Q: What local Media players will benefit from Internet radio on cell phones? A: Anyone that creates unique, local content that is too difficult to replicate from outside of the market. Local talk, news/info and local music will thrive in this space.

Who’s best suited to create this content? Local Newspapers, independent podcasters, and terrestrial stations that program local news, talk and sports.

Will your Media Job exist in 2012 ?

 

Watch the ‘Prometeus’ video above. It looks at how the Internet will substantially change mass media. How much of this is likely to come true ? What if only a portion of this prediction comes true ?

What are you doing to keep up? If you work in traditional media, do you think things will stay the same through-out your entire career?

Does your boss help you learn new skills?…. or do they keep you in the dark about the quick changing Media world of today? Do they expect you to ’sell web’ with just an hour-long training session ? Do you wonder why interactive buyers don’t want to buy your broadcast website? Do your bosses get the web?

EXCERPT FROM VIDEO ABOVE…..Everything related to the old Media vanishes: Gutenberg, the copyright, the radio, the television, the publicity. Around 2011 a tipping point is reached: The electronic paper is a mass product. In 2015 newspapers and broadcasting television disappear, digital terrestrial is abandoned, the radio goes on the Internet.

Not getting properly trained at your media company ? You may want to subscribe to my email, and consider this event. Radio Ink Convergence.

Newspapers winning with Local Online Video

“Print folks see the future and are scrambling to take the high ground, while TV sits on it’s thumb….. thinking they already own it”.

That’s a killer quote from a new found friend of mine; Cyndy Green. Click here to read her blog on video journalism.

Indeed, TV may be a bit too confident in it’s ability to win online with video. Re-purposing last night’s report from a warehouse fire…ain’t gonna cut it. Could local broadcasters be too dependent on big cameras and pretty reporters?

Also…..Click video above to watch just how serious newspapers are in regards to online video. BEET TV interviews a former TV broadcaster, who is now the VP/GM of the New York Times website.

Ex-CBS DJ’s succeed online with Podcast

Here’s the next installment of my video report on Matt and Huggy…..a fired CBS Radio talk show team, using the Web to succeed.

Not only do they have a loyal fanbase downloading their podcasts, but they are packing nightclubs with their ‘live podcast’ events. Click above to watch.

With ultra-cheap or free, wireless broadband just around the corner, this type of activity should be of great interest to terrestrial Radio. Maybe CBS could have streamed their show at www.WYSP.com ? Maybe they should have placed this team’s show on one of their HD channels ? Maybe Radio  needs to develop online-only content, or create a talent ‘farm team’ that lives online and on HD ?

 Watch for other “out of work” DJ’s to adopt these online tactics.

RELATED ARTICLES:

>> Dan Mason of CEO of CBS wants to be #1 in Streaming. Click here to read KURT HANSON for more.

>> Radio Ink Convergence ‘08 Conference: A must-attend event for Radio execs who want to keep up with the fast paced world of Web 2.0. Click here for details.

Pandora takes Local Beer Money from Radio

Pandora is starting to eat Radio’s lunch. So are other online sites.

What is a Pandora?  It’s a fast growing online music site with a serious buzz….and major advertiser support; like Planters and The History Channel. It’s easy to use interface and voting system, makes it a snap to create customized channels. But the best part is: Pandora teaches you about other similiar artists and sounds that you might not be familiar with.

Radio was not invited. This past Wednesday night at place called the Urban Saloon in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Pandora threw a party. It was sponsored by Budweiser. Yes, the King of Beers reallocated a nice chunk of their Philly marketing budget, and gave it to Pandora. ( Not Radio ) They even had one of their online personalities (Kevin Seal) host the gig, and give away prizes. Sounds like a Radio appearance….right?

As a former DJ who has done his share of club appearances, I was blown away by the FREE BEER, tons of T-shirts, and other give-aways that Pandora and Budweiser provided. By comparison, more and more Radio club appearances consist of a ’street team’; low paid interns that put up plastic banners, and hand out a t-shirt or 2.

Most beer marketing dollars used to go to Radio…..but this club event is proof that major sponsors looking to reach 20 somethings, are ramping up their LOCAL online spends. Alot of this budget is being targetted to independent music/entertainment/sports themed sites……not terrestrial Radio.

Can Radio step up and build online platforms that can attract these dollars ? The answer is YES if they take more dramatic steps to hire for, train for, and invest in these types of online efforts. Simply re-purposing content and firing up the sales troops will not be enough. Can Radio managers handle this challenge?

In attendance at the event:

• Former WYSP program director, Gil Edwards; now with RED LASSO.
• Former Greater Media /Clear Channel Sales exec, Frank Neill; now with BlogTalkRadio.com

Kelsey conference; Topix CEO Chris Tolles interview

I had a chance to talk to, and meet alot of influential people while at the Kelsey Interactive Local Media show last week in L.A. One of them was Chris Tolles; CEO of Topix, of of the biggest and fastest growing, online news destinations. It’s backed by 4 major newspaper groups. Topix also works with other media companies to grow and engage their online audiences through forums, classifieds, publishing platforms and RSS feeds.

Click above to see a short interview I had with Chris about an announcement that his company recently made. Chris also speaks to the opportunity that newspapers have, and why they need to look outside of their print companies for advanced online solutions.

Click here to see photos and thoughts about the show.