Summary: The Rio Blanco Herald Times, a struggling local newspaper in Meeker, Colorado, was saved from closure after owners sent an email seeking support. Residents responded positively, emphasizing the importance of a local paper for the town’s identity. The article questions whether public funding, not necessarily government-backed, could sustain media organizations, suggesting donation-based models similar…
Summary: Prehistoric cave art shows the human instinct to create. Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors made art in hard-to-reach places, illustrating the enduring desire to express themselves. In this light, should AI be seen as a tool rather than a threat? Can businesses, including publishing, help customers harness AI to create unique…
Summary: E-newsletters are gaining popularity among digital publishers for engaging readers and monetizing audiences. Subscribers who also subscribe to premium products are 50% more likely to stay subscribed for 12 months. E-newsletters create a personal connection with readers, but their value often aligns with the publisher’s interests. Regularity and convenience are crucial, as many readers…
There’s this thing called “last-click attribution” where you assign a sale to the last click a person takes before the purchase. If you think about your own buying behavior, you’ll quickly realize that model probably only works for a very small percentage of your purchases, and that it gets less and less valuable as the…
Summary: The article discusses the ongoing dispute between publishers and artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of copyright law. It highlights the historical influence of copyright anarchists on the internet, emphasizing Google’s bias towards free content. The benefits of copyright law are outlined for individual creators, corporations, and society, while also acknowledging the importance of…
Summary: In the future, AI will play a significant role in content creation and information consumption. People will access information through 24/7 AI personal assistants, customized books, and other content. Human creators’ roles will diminish, with AI handling most tasks, but scholars will monitor and fine-tune the AI. Education will primarily be AI-driven, with limited…
Summary: The article discusses the challenge that artificial intelligence (AI) poses to publishers, as AI can provide answers and content similar to what traditional publishers offer. The author suggests steps for publishers to respond, including denying AI access, protecting their content, and characterizing AI answers as unreliable. It also addresses the issue of users uploading…
Summary: The article discusses the declining trust in traditional media and the potential rise of independent journalists as a challenge to established media brands. It mentions that some journalists, like Bari Weiss, are moving to platforms such as Substack to operate independently. The article suggests that independent journalists could form their own collective brands, offering…
Summary: Axios co-founder Jim VandeHie offers advice on “smart brevity” in writing, emphasizing the importance of considering the audience, starting with the key point, simplicity, visual aids, conversational tone, and delivering essential information. This approach aligns with the inverted pyramid model. VandeHie focuses on attracting the average reader’s limited attention span. Krehbiel wonders if this…
Summary: The challenge publishers face in growing and engaging audiences due to platforms like Facebook no longer promoting their content. The article questions whether the focus on building audiences for advertisers is mismatched with the goal of finding paying customers for subscriptions. The article emphasizes the need to offer valuable content to the right audience…
Summary: The article discusses the challenges and possibilities for the future of print media. It acknowledges the economic difficulties in print publishing due to high printing and mailing costs and downward price pressure. However, it emphasizes that people, including younger generations, still like print products. The author suggests options such as outsourcing printing to China,…
When you’re dealing with vendor negotiations and tech evaluations, miscommunication is a big problem. It can lead to an incorrect evaluation of possible solution, and it can cost you money. In today’s podcast I will explain five scenarios where a vendor might initially decline a client’s request, and how both parties can turn this into…
Summary: Lennart Schneider discusses “lock-in effects” in a recent article, highlighting 9 strategies to make a subscription irreplaceable. These include ecosystems (like Apple vs. Android), data migration difficulties, personalization, network effects, price guarantees, credits, shared subscriptions, bundling, and status. While these tactics can retain customers, they can also border on being annoying, such as making…
Summary: The article discusses the use of the word “content” in publishing and suggests that it lacks specificity. While some find it useful as a broad category, the author argues for using more precise terms like “answers” or “solutions” to better serve the audience’s needs. He emphasizes the importance of precision in language for publishers…
Summary: The article discusses “digital transformation” and its relevance to media and publishing. The author disagrees with the idea that growth is solely about a single funnel and suggests using branching funnels with different goals. The article being reviewed introduces the “5 R’s of digital transformation” – Relevance, Reputation, Reach, Revenue, and Resilience — and…