The Future of Media

I’m putting together a number of documents at the moment that try to suggest and investigate varying scenarios of the future of media. I’ll share with you the final documents once they’re ready, but in the meantime I wanted to make a note of useful resources and thought pieces that have contributed a lot to the thinking.

I’ve already posted up Jeff Jarvis’ videos on advertising as failure, below is the full 20min speech he gives on the future of media and the prospect for brands within, but I wanted to note down his actual blog, BuzzMachine - a great resource for all his thinking on journalism and on newspapers as a media.

Jeff Jarvis at BRITE ‘09 conference from BRITE Conference on Vimeo.

There’s an interesting video on PSFK from a 2007 conference they held that explores the idea of media titles as creative partners. It’s increasingly true that in order to really engage with consumers brands need to deliver something truly of interest of value to them and not presume simply that they’re willing and waiting for marketing to hit them over the head. PSFK pushed this for their conference and asked the question: “Does the modern media title threaten the creative agency by offering innovative solutions that the agency can’t conceive?” Click the link to watch the video

What’s interesting is that they follow this up themselves by looking at Tyler Brule’s model for the excellent Monocle magazine. I’m a big fan of the publication and not least because of the audacity/bravery/innovation they’ve shown in launching a print title just as many long established publications are folding. From pop up shops to full news stand livery, the increasingly full service brand challenges the conventions of the publishing world. Even the magazine itself stays true to their attitude, providing new ideas on quality stock with focus on a design ethic throughout. PSFK explores their tradition of co-branding here - the collaborative editorials for a number of businesses from airlines, tourist boards, shopping centres to cars, toilets and alcohols. As they say, the bottom line is that Monocle believe in “titles help[ing] brands by creating content readers really want to consume (rather than the stuff many ad agencies hope will catch our eye).” Read the examples at PSFK

Finally, at PSFK (again) they usefully asked The Purple List - their network of useful and interesting people around the world – what they thought about the Future of Journalism. Interesting thoughts there, including the image below which in some senses says it all.