Bronte Media

Murdoch on the Future of Newspapers

November 20th, 2008

Regular readers will know of my obsession with all things Murdoch. Recently he recorded a series of lectures for ABC radio (Australian version of NPR for those American viewers). This week he discusses the future of newspapers.

For media watchers it’s a must listen. Or if you simply like Australian accents, it’s also a must listen.

His view? Delivery methods (print) will be dead and complacency from sucking at the teet of a monopoly for 100 years will be dead but news will only grow larger. If companies don’t focus on the one essential thing: its bond with its readers, it will be dead. But if they do, there is a chance.

“Prisoners of the past versus enthusiasts of the future,” as Murdoch puts it.

My view is a lot more pessimistic: The tide of classifieds has left the world to see the natural business of news is naked and weak.

Leave a Reply