Why new media is essential to the survival of publications

Are newspapers, magazines and other publications dead?

Not at all.

The paper they are printed on may not be as valuable to the mass audience, but their content is as important as ever.

I wasted a fair amount of energy before leaving the newspaper industry in 2006 worrying about the future of newspapers.

What concerned me and my colleagues at the time was what would happen to the printed word with the growth of the Internet.

But we missed the bigger picture.

Your publication isn’t about the paper where it’s printed.

It’s about the content you find in it.

And as the publishing industry continues to evolve, publications can not only survive, but thrive by evolving with these changes.

With the growth of Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other social media, news content is valuable and can reach a broader audience in your community.

It’s an audience who is looking for content on their smartphone, iPad and laptop, not just in the newsstand of a local store.

And smart publications understand how to monetize these forms of new media.

Personally, I’m excited to see how these changes are working.

The Willoughby News-Herald, a paper I worked for from 1999-2002, has done an incredible job at evolving with the times.

Reporters have Twitter and Facebook pages to interact with the community and the newspaper is actively using new media resources to report the news.

It’s great to see how these changes are practically working. I anticipate it’s having a positive impact on their bottom line.

Even if it does not produce immediate results, the newspaper is better set up for success in the future than publications who haven’t taken advantage of new media.

For my readers in the publishing industry, how are you using the Internet and social media to grow your business?

If you’re not or believe you need to do a better job, contact me at chris.pugh@sbcglobal.net

I’d love to help you out.