Innovation in the time of a News Media Crisis

15 tips from the desk of a professor.

Media outlets are in crisis mode. For the first time, newsprint has been taxed with 5 per cent GST by the current government. Television news is largely confined to studio shouts. Media leaders are trying to re-discover themselves. But the issue is not about icons rediscovering their mojos.

Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury

Revenues have gone down due to the Goods & Services Tax, demonetisation, the Real Estate Regulation Act, decline in businesses of the usual advertisers, crisis in the SME sector, online consumption of news and web entertainment gaining natural grounds without concomitant contribution to the topline, newsprint becoming costlier, and the distribution of television channels being tougher and more expensive, for a myriad other reasons. There is a hiring freeze on editorial staff for most news platforms as well, while many long-term employees are being nudged toward voluntary retirement.

In such a context, what could invigorate the Indian news media?

The crises may be many, but the hunger for news and the views of one billion consumers in the country, are on the rise. And there shall be a riot of news dissemination and consumption with many states and the nation going to polls, all within the course of a year.

Innovating News Media:

So how do we innovate in the news media? The news media, which are the most successful ones at creating and maintaining ties with their readers, users, listeners, and viewers will increasingly be media that dare to challenge some of the journalistic dogmas of the last century - that of arm's length, neutrality, objectivity, and the belief that journalists have a special ability to find and choose what is important for citizens. And, not in the least, the basic idea that journalism is primarily about transporting news and information from A to B.

On the content side, more engaging, cooperative and community-oriented direction is needed in journalism.

So, move from neutrality to identity: Show who you are and from which perspective you view the world - geographically, socio-demographically or politically. The 'Language of Hope' and 'Development Focus' on youth-identified content etc. shall be seen.

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Second, move from omnibus to niche: It is possible to create both quality journalism of high public value and cater to targeted audiences at the same time. Hence sectoral supplements, utilitarian content, news you can use, busting myths, false news etc. will be needed.

Third, move from flock to club: Gathering people around news media, in clearly defined communities i.e. clubs, is a strategy that's gaining momentum. Hence, RoundTables, debates online and offline, creating loyalty in offices, catching them young in campuses etc. shall be further orders for the day.

Fourth, move from ink to sweat: Create physical journalism in the form of public meetings, festivals, events, and stage plays. Events should be one each month, with a focus. Some media organisations are already reaping the content, network and revenue benefits of high-decibel televised events.

Fifth, move from speaking to listening: Listening to citizens and creating more transparency in editorial matters through direct personal dialogue, physical presence in communities or systematic use of small and big data is vital. Hence, there need to be more opinions of others on paper and online rather than merely those of the reporters and editors; more of community and citizen journalism is to be seen.

Sixth, from being at arm's length to cooperation: Involve citizens directly throughout the journalistic process - from ideation and research to delivery of independent content and the subsequent debate of published stories. So, round-tables, opinions, debates, stand-offs, guest editors etc. are to be enhanced in frequency and output.

Seventh, move from own to other platforms: Social networking technologies have big potential to enhance and deepen engagement, while, at the same time, creating stronger journalism. So, enhance social media footprints of all initiatives of your media platform and not just to put content there but to engage and debate with consumers of media who shall then be prosumers (user-generated content producing consumers).

Eighth, move from problem to solution: You gain greater impact if you add a solution-oriented level to your work. Constructive journalism simply creates more engagement among readers, users and viewers. Hence, all special features should ideally be solution-oriented.

Ninth, move from observers to activists: Add new relevance for your readers, users and viewers through activist campaigns or journalistic advocacy. Hence, pursue advocacy like net neutrality, RTI implementation, RTE implementation, the 10 per cent GDP campaign, lower taxes-higher compliance campaign etc.

Tenth, move from siloistic or a few initiatives platform to a convergent multi-media platform... attempting to be present across offline (publications), online (portal, social media), on-air (television, radio), on-ground (events), and on-mobile (app) platforms. Then, the media group can take its content seamlessly across multiple media platforms, reduce costs on human resources getting fewer multi-skilled professionals, and may also bring in higher revenue by offering integrated marketing and branding solutions to its advertisers across multiple media.

Expanding Revenue Base:

On the revenue front, this convergence reduces HR costs, real estate costs and news-gathering costs, and increases resource efficiency and brings in more revenue across platforms.

Second, events surely lead to positive top and bottom-line, apart from relationships and content, though organisations may need to be pliant to powers that be, if not careful in dealing with them.

Third, clearly demarcated advertorials, news you can use, utilitarian content from among paid-for branded content, are another source of revenue to be harnessed by each media enterprise, depending upon its reach and impact.

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Fourth, investing in multi-media content providers and editors by making them mobile journalists and multi-media brand and sales professionals who can develop packages to sell well in the marketplace, is another way to enhance revenues.

Fifth (and finally), attempts to increase revenues online must be the way forward - integrating video, audio, text, and images for news, views, previews, and responses together. In parallel, this will bring down costs of legacy media in real estate, people, distribution networks, and feedback channels.

The author is School Head, School of Media, Pearl Academy, Delhi and Mumbai; and former Dean of Symbiosis, Amity and Whistling Woods.