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<FONT COLOR="#FF0033"><B>IMC 2006:</B></FONT> Go online, but deploy a well-planned strategy first
The digital medium cannot be ignored and will soon become the basic creative infrastructure underpinning the magazine economy. Business models will depend increasingly on digital content
During the various panel discussions at the Indian Magazine Congress 2006 in New Delhi, it was evident that the delegates held the common view that the digital media was becoming increasingly important and that it was the business module for the future. They said digital media was a module that would run parallel with magazines. Digital media cannot be ignored and will soon become the basic creative infrastructure underpinning the magazine economy. Business models will depend increasingly on digital content. In keeping with its increasing importance, the development and delivery of digital content is growing rapidly and being adopted by various magazines.
Successful deployment of content on digital media and actually managing it begins with a well-planned content strategy. The panel discussion on ‘Sustainable Digital Strategies for Content, Creation and Delivery, Customer Acquisition and Engagement for Driving a Successful Business Model’ saw suggestions pouring in. Moderated by Sreekant Khandekar, chief executive officer, Banyan Netfaqs, the discussion was shared by Rohit Saran, editor, ‘Money Today’; Deepender Sehajpal, director, Media Estate; and Shailesh Shekhar, editor, hindustantimes.com.
The moderator opened the floor for discussion with a generic statement on media being a hot bed. A number of things keep happening at the same time in the media business. So much so that magazines did not get enough time to establish themselves.
Shekhar said, “The Internet has added to the dimension. We need to be proactive in building a digital strategy. It is important to first get the content and get it right! Entities like ‘Hindustan Times’ failed to put in a sustainable digital strategy initially. It is must for publishing entities to identify needs and work on digital strategies first.”
Sehajpal said, “The Internet is a new way of experiencing media and also throwing out multiple challenges. Digital media has various pluses and minuses associated with it.”
As a strategy that will reap benefits, Saran suggested personalising content to reach readers. Also, unlike magazines which are periodicals, the Internet is always on. So, managing the content is left to the publisher’s discretion.
© 2006 agencyfaqs!