Investor’s Business Daily has a story today on how newspapers need to evolve to grab the attention of consumers who are turning to the Web in droves.
For a model, look to the Houston Chronicle. In today’s paper Dwight Silverman explains how the media needs to evolve and what the Chron is doing to turn its web site from a news delivery channel to a place where conversations take place. The paper today is launching three trackback-enabled blogs. Dwight hits it out of the park with this passage…
It’s important that we do this. While the vast majority of people still get their news through traditional sources – newspapers, TV, radio – more and more are turning to the Web. And because getting news via personal computer implies that the experience is going to be more than just one way, the smart news organization will begin meeting that expectation.
This is particularly true of younger audiences for news, which find little relevance in traditional media. My own 13-year-old daughter is a great example. She gets most of her news from her friends, who communicate via e-mail and instant messaging, pointing out sites and news stories that appeal to their collective interests.
Internet audiences don’t want news to be a lecture. They want it to be a conversation: “Tell me what you find, then let me tell you what I think.”
Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President with Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.
He authors the Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.
