Restoring Newspaper Credibility

Consumers have an overwhelming choice of media options. How can newspapers make themselves indispensable in the media mix?

"I am convinced that our newspapers’ ultimate value proposition is our credibility," said Mr Sulzberger, who conceded that The Times has had its share of credibility-shaking scandals. His presentation focused on the steps the newspaper has taken to repair the damage.

Among others, the steps include:

  Creating a new position of "standards editor."

  Utilizing the Web to provide readers with complete documents used in stories as well as transcripts of interviews.

  Further curtailing the use of anonymous sources.

"While these reforms are not an all-encompassing panacea, they are an effort to confront aggressively many of the problems that are bedeviling our newspapers and, quite frankly, our industry," he said. "We think that our publics, as Bill Keller, The Times’ executive editor, calls them, will respond favorably to this multi-prong program because they will see it as an attempt to upgrade our standards while creating a more responsive culture," said Mr Sulzberger.

Combining Paper with IT for Better Business

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, or the Nikkei, one of the world’s venerable business newspapers, is adopting a strategy which Mr Sugita calls "Paper and IT", combining the best attributes of paper and the internet.

"Newspapers printed on paper are superior in many ways. For example, editors can control the size of headlines and placement of stories on the printed page, so that readers can judge the importance at a glance. Long analytical articles and special features are easier to read at your leisure when they are printed on paper. Paper is easy to pick up and take with you.

"On the other hand, the internet also has advantages over newspapers. it is faster, for example. It can be used interactively, and it can present images more easily. This why I am looking into methods for making good use of these strengths of the ’net and IT, or information technology, to make newspapers even more powerful as a print medium. The idea here is not to replace paper with the on-line experience. Rather, I want to make use of the internet as a supplement in order to make the print medium even more attractive.

"For example, articles and information that we don’t carry in then printed paper could be provided together with interactive services over the internet. There must also be effective ways for using this kind of approach in advertising and sales promotions, and I believe we will find them."

Back to the Future

The biggest challenge for publishers over the next ten years will be to create -- or to protect -- the traditions in which authorities respect the right to publish, and that allow newspapers to perform their essential role as watchdogs of society, says Mr Ncube.

"Why harp on this for the future? Because it is our global history as privately-owned newspapers. There is no reason why other media, such as broadcasters, could not have developed the same tradition. But they did not. We’ve made this function so central to our business, that no matter what the future will bring, it is our institution that will be at the forefront of scrutinising official ill-doing, governmental double-speak, human rights abuses, and not forgetting corporate sector corruption.

"To go back in time, can you imagine teletext breaking the great exposes -- Watergate, Willowgate in Zimbabwe, Inkathagate in South Africa? So, roll on cell phones as devices that disseminate news, yet only those that are linked to our legacies, and likely also drawing on our staff investments, will disseminate the kind of journalism that makes us the fourth estate."

Mr Ncube said one sure certainty about the future is that "we will continue to be an indispensable factor for democracy." His presentation then focused on the core strengths of newspapers to build a strategy for the future. Among other points, he said that only newspapers provide the "trustworthy, credible, sense-making orientation" that people need to understand their world.

Questions for the Newspaper Industry

Brazilian newspapers are once again enjoying circulation gains, and have been investing "in better knowing our readers, in creating customer fidelity, and in stimulating sales in newspaper stands," said Mr Gandour.

That research is important because there are many strategic questions in the current media environment. Mr Gandour raised several of these questions, which will have a profound impact on the direction that newspapers will take in coming years. Here are some of them:

  Is it enough to produce reliable and high-quality news?

  "Aren’t our editorial processes the same as those of 30 years ago, when we had completely different readers?

  What kind of professionals do we need, with what kind of knowledge and experiences? And which editorial processes are needed to implement a modern newspaper?

"I do believe that newspapers play a fundamental role and that we are destined to prosper in the next decades," said Mr Gandour. "But it is fundamental that we reflect deeply about what we do, how we do it, and the business model."

Shaping a Bright Future for Newspapers

"This industry has a lot of reasons to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the newspaper in print. The industry has a successful, long lasting history and future," said Mr Finkbeiner.

"These 400 years give us confidence and pride and basically the assurance that there are no problems ahead of us that we can’t resolve."

Mr Finkbeiner presented an overview of printing history and examined current developments that give the industry reasons for optimism.

Newspapers today take a "target group orientation", aiming for specific audiences. They are cross-marketing and cross-selling. They are using the techniques of professional brand management. They are producing attractive formats and have upgraded to full colour. And they are using innovative production technologies.

As a press manufacturer, MAN Roland has particular competence in the last area, and Mr Finkbeiner concentrated on five areas of innovation that produces added value for readers, advertisers and publishers:

  Innovative newspaper design that bring newspapers closer to magazines in look, and produce dramatic, creative and appealing pages;

  Cost leadership by innovation;

  Innovations that allow late deadlines;

  Innovation for premium quality;

  and innovation for life-cycle management;

"We have to stop talking about the problems and market the strengths of the industry, which are always shown when you look at the first class innovators," said Mr Finkbeiner