Media and Communications a few thoughts

I have been thinking about the change in communications, (does it hurt? well a bit), the papers well certainly the Sundays are less about news and as much about froth, the colour supplements out weigh the paper itself . Weekly free papers we receive have moved considerably away from news content and are substantialy advertising vehicles.Are we consuming our news nearly entirely away from the print media, both locally and nationally, has the print media given up on objective balanced reporting? Can this also be said for specialist magazines although my local newsagents shelves seem as full of all kinds of different specialist publications as ever, sales seem to be declining. We have discussed here, on the LJN, advertising response from gardening magazines and the concensus seems to be pretty much in the don’t bother camp. How do we think, we will in the future, consume our news and follow our interests, will it be on the internet, through networking sites both social and interest based (such as the LJN), television, will there be a revival in the printed media or will there be something new perhaps blending elements of all three coherently together. I have discussed this with my daughters who feel that a magazine is a simpler media to navigate than pages on the intenet, I find this also but assumed it may have been an age thing not so apparently, my daughters are in their twenties.The greatest advantage I enjoy on the internet is interactivity, I can respond to articles, seek feedback and often get sound useful advice very quickly, this is something that television doesn’t yet in my experience allow or for that matter does the print media. Do those of you who buy specialist garden or trade magaazines buy less of them, feel that they are less useful than they once were or have they improved and suit your interests better.

As a commuter, I get 'free news' every morning and evening - excellent for consumption on the train journey. I particularly like the free London Evening Standard which is a fairly substantial tome in comparison to things like Metro and CityAM... I am also offered various specialist publications like Stylist and a music/arts tabloid which I can't remember the name of (probably because after one go, I've started to avoid the hawkers handing it out). The Standard gets fairly broad readership because it is given away at train and tube stations - on the way home, I'd say about every other passenger is reading it. I find it fairly balanced most of the time, though obviously London-focused. I think what surprises me is that the national newspapers have 'declared' for different political parties - this seems completely bizarre - I thought news was supposed to be news, not editorial.... I guess the last bastion of impartiality would be the BBC, though even here there are embedded prejudices (thankfully largely aligned with the embedded prejudices of most of the population, e.g., stealing is bad, hoodies are naughty, etc.). But, back to 'free sheets' - to be completely honest, the best thing about them is a free supply of papers for lining the bunny hutches. It's quite amusing to see the littlest rabbit brandishing a photo of Boris Johnson which she has torn up from her hutch lining.... she's also recently pulled out a picture of Hector Sants (FSA Chief Exec) to wave at me.... I'm not sure what she's trying to tell me, it could be "Vote Conservative" or "Too many roadworks in London" or "Bl**dy Bankers".... but it is rather cute! Finally, I love the Sunday's - £2 for a week's worth of reading material ... I think the last time I bought a magazine, it was over £3 for some 50 glossy pages of which at least 30% was advertising.

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Comments

Nick Donaghey @ Garden Gurus May 2, 2010 at 11:22am

I think we're at a crossroads with regard to print media; you said that your daughters find it easier to navigate a magazine than the internet, but I think that is all going to change with the advent of the e-reader (Amazon's Kindle, the Apple I-Pad etc). This is going to not so much blur the line between print and electronic media as obliterate it. Is it going to be a generational thing? I don't think so - take a look at this video
Cat Fereday May 2, 2010 at 11:34am

As a commuter, I get 'free news' every morning and evening - excellent for consumption on the train journey. I particularly like the free London Evening Standard which is a fairly substantial tome in comparison to things like Metro and CityAM... I am also offered various specialist publications like Stylist and a music/arts tabloid which I can't remember the name of (probably because after one go, I've started to avoid the hawkers handing it out). The Standard gets fairly broad readership because it is given away at train and tube stations - on the way home, I'd say about every other passenger is reading it. I find it fairly balanced most of the time, though obviously London-focused. I think what surprises me is that the national newspapers have 'declared' for different political parties - this seems completely bizarre - I thought news was supposed to be news, not editorial.... I guess the last bastion of impartiality would be the BBC, though even here there are embedded prejudices (thankfully largely aligned with the embedded prejudices of most of the population, e.g., stealing is bad, hoodies are naughty, etc.). But, back to 'free sheets' - to be completely honest, the best thing about them is a free supply of papers for lining the bunny hutches. It's quite amusing to see the littlest rabbit brandishing a photo of Boris Johnson which she has torn up from her hutch lining.... she's also recently pulled out a picture of Hector Sants (FSA Chief Exec) to wave at me.... I'm not sure what she's trying to tell me, it could be "Vote Conservative" or "Too many roadworks in London" or "Bl**dy Bankers".... but it is rather cute! Finally, I love the Sunday's - £2 for a week's worth of reading material ... I think the last time I bought a magazine, it was over £3 for some 50 glossy pages of which at least 30% was advertising.
Fenlandphil May 2, 2010 at 12:35pm

Sorry I forgot to put a title on my blog, I will get in right in the end.
Fenlandphil May 3, 2010 at 7:56am

The Ipad looks interesting Nick. Perhaps that will be the direction thing wll go, that lady seems pretty switched on for a centenarian brilliant.
Fenlandphil May 3, 2010 at 8:04am

Interesting recycling Cat is the rabbit making a political statement do you think?
My brother works and lives in London but usually drives in. I went to a seminar earlier this year and tried the underground at sometime near rush hour. I think in terms of a daily commute a fifteen minute drive in the fens is a lot less stressful.
PRO

Phil Voice May 3, 2010 at 9:19am

Phil

There's oudles of evidence to suggest that printed media has some way to fall - although I don't think every single title will suffer in the same way.

IPC media are reviewing their options:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/30/ipc-media-niche-magazines

Reed are clearing out their trade titles:
http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/mediamoney/2010/04/26/the-future-of...
Fenlandphil May 3, 2010 at 10:00am

I think Philip what you have here with the LJN, is probably the start of the future in terms of specialist publishing. You are nimble enough and astute, ultimately you will have a well tuned vehicle capable of reaching the right interested people. I do not quite know how it will evolve or what the end result may be but I think you will be there at the front.
Helen Nock May 3, 2010 at 11:09am

Printed media can't offer the speed, depth, mobility and convenience of electronic versions. For that I'm an internet nut. Aside from the impact on news content, I don't think it can replace different pleasures and conveniences of printed media. Personally, I find the inflexibility of sitting at a screen or squinting at hand-held gadgets uncomfortable and draining after a while. Printed media seems a far more relaxing way to digest.
PRO

Phil Voice May 3, 2010 at 12:29pm

Media is in transition from an accepted and historical format into something that is fast, fluid, dynamic and adaptable...I still think the Internet has many surprises up its sleeve.

I have never thought that printed media would go away and I do feel that some publishers will find a way to produce a successful, sustainable and profitable title that can cross the divide - backwards and forwards - between print and digital.

The problem for established publishers is they failed to catch the curve early enough and have expended too much energy talking the digital era down than trying to catch it up.

The dust will settle eventually but I'm almost pretty certain that those leading any retrospective print publishing companies, will be those brought up in digital.
Fenlandphil May 3, 2010 at 7:44pm

I was visiting my daughter today, she and her boyfriend are studying at Nottingham Trent University.
My daughters' boyfriend is studing the design and construction of virtual enviroments and landscapes.
I mentioned to him the subject of communications media, broadly on the lines of our discussion on here. Amongst the things he was telling me about were electronic ink and screens half a millimeter thick that could be read like a magazine and contain video footage, a bit like the magazines in the Harry Potter films? I asked, he said it isn't that far off.
In prospect, as I understand it is a more readable form of media, in comparison to the internet with some of the interactivity of the internet and fairly soon. I have asked him if he had any info on the subject that he could email me, if he does then I will post it on here.