Settling the dilemma haunting the newspaper industry for long now, Mr Earl J. Wilkinson, Executive Director and CEO, International Newsmedia Marketing Association, said that globally there was no decline in demand for news, but what has changed is the demand for the platform on which the reader wants his or her news delivered.

“The issues facing publishers is to identify this growth, be more relevant and manage complexity better,” he said at the inaugural session of the 5{+t}{+h} Asia Annual Conference of INMA today. GenY, he said prefers screen access and short-form content. Thus, for news companies, integration of different channels is necessary.

He also said that as the newspaper has become a highly discretionary purchase, selling and marketing it is important thus, offering a brand promise.

Mr Madanmohan Rao, Consultant, Author and Research Advisor, Asian media Information and Communication Centre, said that social media has become the first cut of history and journalism has to make the best use of the channel to deliver news. Speaking on ‘social media and mobile opportunities for newspaper advertising,' newspapers have to move towards ‘SoMoLoGlo' (Social/mobile/local/global) and use cross channels to talk to their readers.

The two-day INMA annual conference on ‘Strengthening our core business and exploring new opportunities,' will have presentations and case studies from newspaper companies across the world.

INMA is currently present in 81 countries, with 588 newspaper companies and 5,865 executives as members.

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Published on November 7, 2011