Opinion: The future model of the newspaper

Posted by Lauren Drablier on October 6, 2008 at 2:53 PM

In a recent speech, Horst Pirker, the Chairman of the Board of Styria Medien (Austria) explained how the future of the newspaper is dependent on multimedia, multi-channel and multi-platform technologies (or MMM).

In the MMM approach, multimedia means providing the reader with not just only text, but pictures, sound and video. Multi-channel means using different channels for distribution such as cable, satellite, GRPS, WiFi etc... And multi-platform means using all of the platforms available such as, paper, PC, mobile devices, public screens, etc...

Pirker noted three possible models for print newspaper, the paid-for paper, the hybrid model and free paper. He used the example of the multiple models to stress the fact that there are many different ways to approach online news. He believes that looking into different models for online news combined with the MMM approach is the direction that newspapers must go.

Horst also stated that the goal (and challenge) for the media companies should be to develop a means to generate profit from online initiatives.

Sources: Forum 4 Editors