Rupert Murdoch Gets "IT"

An insightful article from colleague John Carmichael:

Rupert Murdoch Gets "IT": "

Can't teach an old dog new tricks huh?' Well there's an 'Old Dog' out there teaching an industry 'New Tricks.'

As is often the case, Rupert Murdoch gets it!' In a presentation he recently made to the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, he stated,
'Adapt to new technology or die!'

This was not directed at individuals in the room other than a Warning of the impending relegation to the modern day 'Buggy Whip Factory' for the 4th estate, their industry!' Specifically the printed daily news.' Come on kids... you remember a Newspaper! It even outlasted:

• Vinyl Records



• Ticker Tape



• Reel to Reel



• 8 Tracks



• Don Johnson's Aftershave!



• William Shatner's Musical Career!



• Jessica and Nick!

Sorry, I digress!

What's important to realize now is that Rupert is on the right track once again.' In our instant gratification society we want our information YESTERDAY!' Not tomorrow morning.' It's not uncommon to hear conversations that start like:

'Hey did you catch this story in the paper this morning about.... something international'

'Yeah I caught it on CNN last night after my son heads up'd me about the story he read on a Blog on his cell phone! The Internet had a great story first hand from someone who was there and actually uploaded digital pictures of it.'

The newspaper is outdated 6 hours after an event!' Editors will argue that a newspaper performs the service of researching and being more deliberate in ascertaining the facts of the story, thus delivering a higher quality product to the consumer!

BS!' It is not the Newspaper that does this.' It is the staff, the reporters, the photographers, the columnists!' The 'Newspaper' is the wrapper!' These entities can still perform the same quality service of in-depth research and reporting, just get over the idea that the delivery has to be via ink and paper!' And the day is coming, if not upon us, where this delivery is certainly secondary to all other forms of media delivery.

Mr Murdoch goes on to state, 'A new generation of media consumers has risen demanding content delivered when they want it, how they want it, and very much as they want it.'

Hmm... Sounds like our old Tag Line... 'Content, When you want it, where you want it, how you want it!

More from Rupert,

'There is only one way. That is by using our skills to create and distribute dynamic, exciting content,' he said.

'But -- and this is a very big but -- newspapers will have to adapt as their readers demand news and sport on a variety of platforms: websites, iPods, mobile phones or laptops.

What is not expressed in this article is the known answer in certain circles.' The circles I travel in!

News Organizations need to learn 3 letters!' RSS!' This is how content can be distributed to literally Billions of people in minutes on the device of their choosing!' Web, Desktop, Laptop, Mobile Device, Television, you name it!' News and other information can be delivered and custom selected by the consumer!

It is not just publishing!' Is is providing users and customers with the right tools to easily access this information.' Companies like Newsgator are leading the way allowing a very easy to deploy customizable RSS reader and aggregator for media companies to provide to their customers.

Some in the 'Newspaper' world are already proceeding down this path!' SFGate is an excellent example!' As well as the Denver Post. And others are not far behind!' Well known names in this space, will 'not go gentle into that good night!'

"

(Via Carmichael's Position.)