July 16th, 2010
Newspaper readers might one day enjoy editorial and advertising content tailored to their needs and interests, media expert Vin Crosbie said on Wednesday.
The American university professor predicted that the mass media will lose its status as the world’s primary information source, The Straits Times reported. Instead, people will demand customised content to suit their individual needs, he said.
“People will increasingly have the ability to choose news and information according to their individual interests,” he told 400 media professionals, lecturers and students at the Singapore Press Holdings’ Media in Transition Lecture Series.
Crosbie said that this new media world might develop as a result of today’s information overload. Tailoring news to each reader could help address the million-dollar question of how to continue making money from print media at a time when online news is flourishing and free, he said.
However, the professor added that print newspapers might have a better future in Asia, where circulation is increasing, as opposed to the US. As long as paper is used for money, paper will also be used for information, he said.
Click here for the full text of his talk.