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 Indian Publications |
New Media Column in Vidura |
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Media outsourcing is here |
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Long distance copy editing for newspapers now appears a reality. In the next phase of media outsourcing, it is now the turn of daily newspapers to send their editing and page make up work offshore. Media and content companies in India are now offering, what they call, “concept to print”, services for newspapers and magazine. This could involve creating original content, writing news stories and features. And Media commentators in the U.S. have begun discussing likely impact of jobs of copy editors getting exported to locations in India and elsewhere in Asia.
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The Price of Interactivity |
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As they say ‘nothing is free in a free market’. Interactivity comes at a price. Not for media outlets but for their audiences. If you want to interact with your favourite news channel, web portal, FM station or newspaper, you have to pay. And this is not just the cost of sending a SMS, but much higher than usual rates. You can interact using only a premium short messaging service. It can cost you anything between Rs 3 to Rs10 per message - as against Rs 1 or less for a normal message.
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Web Editions versus Electronic Newspapers |
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Thus the electronic newspaper is a mix of print looks and web tools such as search and digital clipping. Readers can flip through the pages of an e-newspaper or magazine using navigation controls. They can even listen to the news using text-to-speech software, or watch any video clips linked with it. Though the pages in an electronic newspaper look like print pages, the technology allows newspapers to insert links to websites or e-mail addresses in the text.
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New Challenges for Old Media |
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Do newspapers have a future? Indeed, there is a global debate among the concerned in the print media about its very future - certainly as we know it today. Why are great newspapers of the world getting worried, why are editors talking about protecting quality print journalism and what is at stake in this game. The story starts more than a decade back, when the Internet started spreading, first in the United States and then all over the globe. Being a medium that was information or content hungry, it was almost immediately embraced by print and electronic media giants.
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Podcasting News |
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Traditional broadcast media has been quick to adopt this new form of audio content publication and distribution. For them, podcasting is yet another way to distribute their content, in addition to already existing channels such as e-mail, RSS, streaming, mobile phone delivery etc. BBC began podcasting of some of its programmes in trials that began in October 2004, and very soon extended the same to more programmes in January 2005. By middle of 2005, the list of programmes available on podcasts had grown much more. Today news bulletins, commentaries and reviews of BBC Radio channel 4 and other channels are available in podcasts. You can listen to news bulletins anytime of the day on your PC or download on your personal player.
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News Goes the RSS Way |
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RSS can be an important tool for professional journalists and others in the information business. They not only keep a tab on latest headlines in general, but also keep an eye on what rival newspapers or websites are reporting. Many a time, feeds from weblogs may provide good information or news tip about some local events in cities and remote areas. In addition, journalists can subscribe to RSS feeds from a host of journalism related websites that provide job listings, freelance opportunities, information on fellowships and awards, and other useful information.
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The Internet bats for Democracy |
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Once again the Internet has proved that it is a great medium of communication in times of crises, be it a natural disaster like the Indian Ocean tsunami or man made one like the press censorship in Nepal. The country with one of the lowest telephone density in the region suddenly emerged on the Internet radar when King Gyanendra imposed media censorship after what has been termed as a Royal coup., () |
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Tsunami and the rise of Citizen Journalism |
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The tsunami waves have changed the landscape of the global media as well. It has altered the coastlines of the traditional media and created new fault zones. And this change in the global media order was being scripted in Mumbai, Chennai and Phuket and not in New York, London or Miami. The new media has once again demonstrated its ability to be the fastest means of communication in such times. Traditional media giants have not only taken note of this changing news order but have acknowledged this in good measure.
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Blogging challenges Journalism |
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Online journalism is now nearly a decade old. Almost every newspaper or magazine, radio and television station has a presence on the worldwide web. Many of them have exclusive content for their Internet editions. For many publications, online editions have become another marketing tool to attract advertisers and buyers for various goods and services. The traditional media has been able to expand its reach to newer audiences and geographical territories with little incremental costs.
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New Technologies – a double-edged sword |
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The past few years have brought in wide ranging changes in the way new technologies are being used in the newspaper industry. While newer production technologies have changed the face or the look of newspapers, several new tools have become available in the hands of newspaper designers, page makers and editors. Many of these tools and techniques were not primarily designed or developed for newspapers., () |
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