Some Thoughts on Revitalizing Mainstream Media

My recent post on the decay of mainstream media (MSM) served its purpose - to put some thoughts out there and to stimulate debate. I was so pleased to have both Bill (a.k.a. NO DooDahs) and Priya (For the Record) weigh in, given their intellect, sharp wit and divergent perspectives. And while my post was quite harsh (and representative of what I believe), I personally value MSM and leverage its good elements all the time. Given this, I thought I might put forth some ideas of how MSM can better integrate with the online experience, doing what it does best (creating original, high-value content) while leveraging the unique power and breadth of consumer-generated media (CGM). Priya should be happy that I am doing this; props go to her for serving as a catalyst for this post.

So what are some of the things MSM might do to become a sticky destination for today's power information consumers?

1. Generate original content: Re-hashing prior stories just kills MSMs credibility and leads to frustration and boredom for readers in both online and offline worlds. The concept of filling column inches should be anathema to today's media world. It's about value, not volume. MSM should trade on its reputation, relevance and credibility and generate content that reinforces these perceptions, and re-purposing tired, old stories just shatters this premise.

2. Provide context: This involves mapping an array of related content from other MSM outlets, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, government filings and other sources. This approach could  create further stickiness among readers, as the pursuit of other interesting and relevant information can be achieved through the MSM portal instead of jumping to an alternative search engine. Tools like Sphere provide necessary but insufficient content to create a robust context map around a new story.

3. Open up walled gardens: I'm not convinced that subscription services like Times Select offer the best long-term revenue models, especially if MSM is able to provide the context described in 2 above. Opening up access to elite writers for free should only enhance the stickiness quotient of MSM sites providing value-added context maps, which I'd posit might have a more favorable economic impact due to high CPC advertising rates than a subscription service. This approach would also give the MSM outlet more street cred, as its approach would be enveloping, embracing and inclusive, not distant, rejecting and exclusive.

4. Incorporate content and perspective from online thought leaders: While this is sometimes done in technology and consumer electronics realms, it is seldom done in other vertical domains. The dynamic, real-time Internet is full of some of the world's greatest thinkers on a wide range of topics, so why are they so seldom quoted relative to those in the offline world? I'm not sure - could it be a perception by MSM that online experts somehow lack the gravitas and credibility of their offline counterparts? Could it be MSMs desire to avoid legitimizing online, non-MSM media such as blogs? I don't know the answer, all I know is that MSM is missing a wealth of intellectual capital by not fully incorporating leading online thinkers into their stable of experts.

5. Create new models for incorporating commentary into a story: A story on the Internet is a living thing; it represents an assemblage of facts and opinions, an initial "stake in the ground" from the writer. This then serves as a straw man that is gradually filled out by those who read, analyze and comment on the original story, building on top of both the story, other items in the context map and the comments that preceeded it. I personally do not know of an online MSM outlet that has figured out how to make a story feel and read like an evolving, living thing. I could see this being an incredibly powerful vehicle for stimlating discussion, arriving at new conclusions and effectively re-publishing the original story in light of the collective wisdom that weighed in, resulting in something akin to a Wikipedia-for-news-stories.

In sum, MSM is frequently really good at researching a topic and weaving a mixture of facts and opinions into a story. If MSM could broaden the pool from which it obtains research to incorporate online sources that would clearly make sense. The resulting story is a great launching point for a robust examination both through the study of context maps and the commentary provided by readers. And if MSM can develop a user experience that facilitates the ongoing enhancement of the original story through commentary and analysis, that would be a home run app that could fuel big-time ad revenues. I am eager to see if MSM is up to the challenge.