Ken Kurson has led an extensive career in the media industry. His career has spanned various aspects of the media industry. He’s worked as an editor and has also worked as a media and political consultant, which some would consider to be on the periphery of the industry. In any event, it has given him some fairly unique insights into the way the media has developed and changed over time.
According to Ken Kurson and others, the technological and digital advancements of the last few years have spurred a renewed interest in news properties turning to digital offerings. Some have abandoned their print publications entirely in favor of transitioning to a digital platform. Others have sought to capitalize on the emerging digital market, by using it as a supplemental means for generating revenue through advertising.
In any event, the digital media environment is one that is incredibly exciting and enthralling. The environment is consistently changing; and with the velocity with which news is shared, produced and communicated to the public, it’s become an environment that is especially rewarding for young and hungry journalists. Those with a fervor for seeking out interesting stories that their audiences will come to appreciate have been able to carve especially unique and successful niches for themselves.
The ability for journalists to get their work highlighted has also been an added benefit as a consequence of the aggressive development of the digital space and industry. With the ability of journalists to maintain direct communication with their readers through social media feeds – whether that be Facebook, Twitter or any other digital media platform, this too has been especially valuable as a tool.
And of course, there have indeed been benefits for the editorial and publishing staffs of many media properties. Members of these staffs now have a unique ability to size up and better understand the dynamics and interests of their readers and audiences. This of course is something unique onto itself; and not something that many could have anticipated in the media industry, years ago.
But it is indeed an inherent value to the digital offerings that have been associated with all of these continued advancements and developments. Using tools like Google analytics, the editorial staffs and news properties have the unique and unrivaled ability to identify the makeup of their audiences – and thereby cater to their needs, wants and desires.
The unique ability to be able to better understand a media property’s audience and the ways in which it interacts with the content being produced is incredibly important and vital to understanding these changes. For example, when one analyzes readers’ reading habits, one can better understand what type of content and subjects they prefer reading about. Who their preferred journalists and reporters are; and other very useful information.
In turn, media properties are able to create content based on the interest that they can determine is gauged. This is so incredibly important, especially in a media environment where competing for financial sustainability and survival has proven increasingly difficult. These digital developments and advents have therefore borne fruit in this respect.
Digital platforms have become in vogue for the obvious aforementioned reasons. The Forward is an example of a media outlet that has taken the initiative in this respect to invest in digital resources; as have many other notable media outlets and properties. The web is truly the future; and indeed the direction in which the news industry is headed. Digital, all the way.