The Hyper-Local Newspaper Solution
Want to see how a newspaper can successfully leverage the web? Read this article about Rob Curley and The Naples Daily News in Fast Company. Newspapers don't need to partner with Yahoo or sell out to other new media giants. All it takes is three types of coverage to generate buzz and interest: local, local and local.
Check out this list of microsites that Curley developed and see for yourself why they're not only wildly popular but also huge advertising opportunities. I wish my local paper would learn a thing or two from Curley and The Naples Daily News.
I’m not a Curley fan myself. Where is the revenue model? It’s easy to spend someone else’s money to do cool “cutting edge” things at the newspaper, but it’s quite another to have a legitimate business model that adds revenue to the bottom line. I’ve never seen someone put up on a pedestal so high that worked for someone else like this guy has. By the time newspapers figure out how to integrate video into their offering and make money at it, TV will have ate their lunch already. Television is really in the cat's seat when it comes to convergence of media. Why? Because people are lazy and want to be entertained and because the television is smarter than dumb newspapers. Remember, TV owns the last 5 feet of the convergence experience. Newspapers are just trying to stay relevant.
Posted by:Tom Britt | November 28, 2006 at 12:11 AM
@Tom
So you're criticism of Rob is that he doesn't provide a revenue model? So his ideas must certainly be without merit because he only speaks about content, readers, and cool web apps rather than how to leverage those for more money?!? Last I looked that wasn't his job. His job is to get people interested in the news, which I believe he's doing a pretty good job of.
Online newspapers already have a revenue model. If someone wants to think up new and better ones, great! But like I said, Rob shouldn't be faulted because he isn't doing that. That's like saying Apples are kind of cool, but you know what, they'd be even cooler if they tasted like oranges.
Full disclosure: I work on Rob's team at WPNI.
Posted by:Deryck Hodge | November 28, 2006 at 11:51 AM
OK you two...don't make me pull this blog over and let you two out! Seriously, you both make good points but I'm not convinced the TV networks or the newspapers have a leg up on the other. As I mentioned in a post yesterday (http://jwikert.typepad.com/the_average_joe/2006/11/youtube_friend_.html), I think TV has plenty of threats of its own to deal with!
Posted by:Joe Wikert | November 29, 2006 at 05:33 PM