Traditional media can’t simply emulate their products onscreen.
That reflects the message put forth by Times Online editor Anne Spackman at a Society of Editors conference in Manchester this month.
“Digital evolves extremely fast, it wasn’t that long ago that our websites represented our newspapers on the computer screen,” said Spackman, who was appointed to her position last year and has expedited Times Online’s integration of print and website operations.
In fact, she likened the current pace of change to the Wild West. Indeed, given the fact that newspapers compete with thousands of websites around the globe, they need to progress with the rapidly evolving digital world.
The pressure is intensified by the content-driven nature of Web 2.0, which creates armies of public reporters. To stay relevant, major media groups need to deliver quality news that’s accurate, objective and up to date — and fully embrace the power of the Web.
Otherwise this new wave of “citizen journalists” will make today’s media giants obsolete.
