"Quality is essential for the survival of the media".
In times of an oversupply of media, quality is becoming essential for survival, according to publisher president Pietro Supino. The media must become better and more professional than they have been in the past.
Photo: Twitter@publishers association
It is necessary to make an even more consistent distinction between reporting and opinion, Supino said on Wednesday at the Epiphany Conference of the Association of Swiss Media (VSM) in Zurich. The media must increase the utility value for the readership by presenting what institutional news actually means for them.
Media must create added value
"We need to select more independently, drill deeper and give more space to different points of view," Supino continued. The focus on real added value, the use of new technologies and the ability to cooperate are prerequisites for paid media to survive, he said.
The digital transformation of the subscription model is the biggest business challenge of the new decade. Prices for digital subscriptions would be half to two-thirds lower than existing print and combined online/print subscriptions. The advertising market will remain under pressure.
Dramatic price collapse
Under the optimistic assumption that the digital transformation will succeed, the revenues of traditional media brands are likely to decline at the same rate as prices over the next decade. That would be dramatic. The balancing act between content work and cost management will be even more challenging in the new decade.
Rising revenues in the digital business are far from being able to compensate for the declines in print. It is remarkable that the media offering in Switzerland remains excellent despite this dramatic development, said the publisher president.
Digital revolution
The breakthrough in technology is still to come. The keywords here are automation in journalism, computer-human interaction, and the broad field of data analysis. Beyond data journalism, user data would help to better tailor offerings to their interests and needs.
The development of digital competence requires high investments. At the same time, the large cost blocks remain, especially in the distribution of printed newspapers. Against this background, Supino believes it is urgently necessary to expand indirect press subsidies, including early delivery.
Increase in funding urgent
"Without expanding indirect promotion over the next three years, one-third of today's newspaper titles could not survive," Supino said. For this reason, he said, the association has been working with Swiss Post and Bakom in recent months to develop the technical basis for including early delivery in the promotion.
The association senses support from DETEC. In the coming months, the VSM will work to ensure that Parliament creates the necessary legal basis. In the short and medium term, this dossier has absolute priority in the publishers' association.
Development of media competence
In the long term, the promotion of media competence remains the most important concern. The next generation's understanding of media quality will determine future media offerings. That is why the importance of media literacy cannot be overestimated. (SDA)
