Comments on: The business model is still the elephant in the room http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/ Ryan Sholin on the future of newspapers, online news and journalism education. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:29:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Student news as process - Daniel Bachhuber http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-12570 Student news as process - Daniel Bachhuber Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:57:28 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-12570 [...] business model, of course, is the elephant in the room. There are plenty of innovative minds working on this issue, however, and, with money to be made, [...] [...] business model, of course, is the elephant in the room. There are plenty of innovative minds working on this issue, however, and, with money to be made, [...]

]]> By: Reasons to be cheerful « Subbed Out? http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-12380 Reasons to be cheerful « Subbed Out? Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:57:02 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-12380 [...] the business angle. But it makes me happy to know there are people out there who have thought about how we make money - and how we can make enough of it to ’save [...] [...] the business angle. But it makes me happy to know there are people out there who have thought about how we make money – and how we can make enough of it to ’save [...]

]]> By: Outras formas de os jornais fazerem dinheiro | Other ways for newspapers to make money « O Lago | The Lake http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-12373 Outras formas de os jornais fazerem dinheiro | Other ways for newspapers to make money « O Lago | The Lake Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:43:25 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-12373 [...] The business model is still the elephant model in the room, as Ryan Sholin writes. [...] [...] The business model is still the elephant model in the room, as Ryan Sholin writes. [...]

]]> By: Keeping online journalism away from the Underpant Gnomes | blogHarrisburg http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-12126 Keeping online journalism away from the Underpant Gnomes | blogHarrisburg Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:42:08 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-12126 [...] offer more insight there. I have no business training. But that elusive business model remains the elephant in the room. And many a reporter have joined me in putting our heads down, figuring out the content end of the [...] [...] offer more insight there. I have no business training. But that elusive business model remains the elephant in the room. And many a reporter have joined me in putting our heads down, figuring out the content end of the [...]

]]> By: Keeping online journalism away from the Underpant Gnomes | By Daniel Victor http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11910 Keeping online journalism away from the Underpant Gnomes | By Daniel Victor Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:24:40 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11910 [...] that elusive business model remains the elephant in the room. And many a reporter have joined me in putting our heads down, figuring out the content end of the [...] [...] that elusive business model remains the elephant in the room. And many a reporter have joined me in putting our heads down, figuring out the content end of the [...]

]]> By: Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » (Some more) Tuesday squibs http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11163 Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » (Some more) Tuesday squibs Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:10:36 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11163 [...] It’s Time for a Revenue Revolution. Dan Pacheco’s essay at the Idea Lab is one of a number of recent indications that the media blogosphere is getting beyond the “model is broken” message to plumb ideas for replacing it. Journalists really need to read this type of stuff, but I wonder if the idea that there’s a single, industry-wide solution is the right one. Related: Write elephants and the Ryan Sholin piece it riffs on, The business model is still the elephant in the room. [...] [...] It’s Time for a Revenue Revolution. Dan Pacheco’s essay at the Idea Lab is one of a number of recent indications that the media blogosphere is getting beyond the “model is broken” message to plumb ideas for replacing it. Journalists really need to read this type of stuff, but I wonder if the idea that there’s a single, industry-wide solution is the right one. Related: Write elephants and the Ryan Sholin piece it riffs on, The business model is still the elephant in the room. [...]

]]> By: Chris O'Brien http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11150 Chris O'Brien Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:31:08 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11150 Ryan: Good post, as I think this is the real issue we face. And I think it's essential that journos take the lead because there's way too much caution on the business side. Also, as Bryan, implies above, the ad-driven model is problematic in the long run. Everyone is having problems monetizing online content (TV, movies, music). Not just newspapers. And more than the infinite space that Bryan observers, there is seemingly infinite competition for those ad dollars. In my Merc column over the weekend I looked at the fact that almost every Web start-up these days by defaults claims it will eventually be supported by ads: http://www.mercurynews.com/chris_obrien/ci_10012943. There simply isn't enough to go around. My hope is that somehow we can move the conversation past ads to find other sustainable business and non-profit models. Ryan:

Good post, as I think this is the real issue we face. And I think it’s essential that journos take the lead because there’s way too much caution on the business side.

Also, as Bryan, implies above, the ad-driven model is problematic in the long run. Everyone is having problems monetizing online content (TV, movies, music). Not just newspapers. And more than the infinite space that Bryan observers, there is seemingly infinite competition for those ad dollars.

In my Merc column over the weekend I looked at the fact that almost every Web start-up these days by defaults claims it will eventually be supported by ads: http://www.mercurynews.com/chris_obrien/ci_10012943. There simply isn’t enough to go around. My hope is that somehow we can move the conversation past ads to find other sustainable business and non-profit models.

]]> By: Bryan Murley http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11146 Bryan Murley Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:45:14 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11146 <blockquote>Print advertising revenue is falling, online ad revenue is climbing, but the former is happening at a much faster pace than the latter.</blockquote> I don't think the problem is that print is falling faster than online is rising, but that the revenue generated by online will NEVER be as high as the traditional print ad revenue, unless and until someone figures out a way to make Internet ad space as limited as print space.

Print advertising revenue is falling, online ad revenue is climbing, but the former is happening at a much faster pace than the latter.

I don’t think the problem is that print is falling faster than online is rising, but that the revenue generated by online will NEVER be as high as the traditional print ad revenue, unless and until someone figures out a way to make Internet ad space as limited as print space.

]]> By: Kate Martin http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11143 Kate Martin Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:42:25 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11143 I'm so glad someone is saying this in such clear terms. If our industry were powered by hope then we'd be fine. Is anyone even working on a viable business model? I’m so glad someone is saying this in such clear terms. If our industry were powered by hope then we’d be fine.

Is anyone even working on a viable business model?

]]> By: Nick http://ryansholin.com/2008/07/24/the-business-model-is-still-the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-11142 Nick Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:34:22 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=909#comment-11142 Maybe newspapers just need to basically die out, or are on an inevitable course to do so. The new business model may mean not depending on "bigness" (big staff, big corporate ownership, big ad dollars, dependent on mass audiences, etc.) but a whole lot of niche smallness. None of us may be able to "save" newspapers, but we sure can help shape their successors, whatever that will mean. Could the new Major Metro Paper become an association of niche blog-like sites, covering suburbs or individual beats? Like if I were in southern California, maybe my online news organization would have various microsites for cities and suburbs, and a sports one and maybe ones for Silicon Valley, Hollywood, etc., although I may not bother, considering the increasing amount of blogs/news sources about such things. Maybe newspapers just need to basically die out, or are on an inevitable course to do so.

The new business model may mean not depending on “bigness” (big staff, big corporate ownership, big ad dollars, dependent on mass audiences, etc.) but a whole lot of niche smallness.

None of us may be able to “save” newspapers, but we sure can help shape their successors, whatever that will mean.

Could the new Major Metro Paper become an association of niche blog-like sites, covering suburbs or individual beats? Like if I were in southern California, maybe my online news organization would have various microsites for cities and suburbs, and a sports one and maybe ones for Silicon Valley, Hollywood, etc., although I may not bother, considering the increasing amount of blogs/news sources about such things.

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