Jarvis envisions the 2020 newspaper

 
“What will newspapers look like in 2020?”

In this essay commissioned by the World Association of Newspapers, the Buzzmachine founder and Guardian blogger draws a gloomy portrayal of the newspaper – the print newspaper that is. Evoking Philip Meyer’s book, “The Vanishing Newspaper,” the last US print newspaper could be published in 2040.

But, fear not, Jarvis doesn’t say that newspapers are bound to extinction. Firstly, because he realizes that print products “may well continue and in some countries still grow.”

Secondly, and more importantly, because “a newspaper mustn’t define itself by its medium. It isn’t just paper. Its strength and value do not come from controlling content or distribution,” writes Jarvis.

The notion isn’t groundbreaking. Newspapers have realized some time ago that they are media companies, content gatherers and distributors rather than a medium.

So in typical ‘Jarvispeak,’ he doesn’t attempt to predict the future of newspapers. Instead, he etches the future of journalism, on the basis that newspapers will have to produce this type of journalism to survive.

Among his main points:

- Newspapers will need to “do what we do best and link to the rest.” Continue unique reporting but link back to general news. Become aggregators and be aggregated.

- the online-only newspaper will be more efficient and manageable – “perhaps even more profitable.”

- Newspapers must build Google-like advertising networks. “They will place advertising not only on the content they create but, in far greater volume, on the content others create.”

The point is that newspapers – media – should become networks of content, as well as content creators. There will be journalists employed by media companies, independent agents who professionally create “their own minimedia,” and amateurs.

Unfortunately for traditional media organizations, Jarvis is skeptical about the (lack of) “innovation occurring inside the established companies.”

“So by 2020, I imagine that a wide network of people will report and the value we add is to organize and enable them: We promote their content and sell ads on it. We educate them (and they us). We moderate discussion. We find the best and most trustworthy new practitioners. And of course, we add journalism, engaging in the reporting, investigation, and editing that will always be needed. The more we increase the value of the network, the more each member’s value grows.”

So far so good for the theory. Now newspapers have 13 years – much less in reality – to figure out how to organize the information in a networking format rather than a standardized package.

Source: Buzzmachine