Here it is. A retouched, re-sized AdNews. Why? Well, we all need new kit now and again but the catalyst, to be frank, is about reducing costs without hacking into our already stretched editorial resource. Sound familiar?
The market is tough and we’re seeing it, like everyone else. So allow me to get back on my rocking horse for a moment. The industry is in danger of disappearing up its own channel. All of you hire PR people – you hire them to spin; you hire them as go-betweens to deal with pain-in-the-arse journos; to create and craft perception; to disseminate news fast; and to shape and drive debate. The good news for you is that industry media, like its bigger cousins in consumer-land, will have less painful journos to deal with, less editorial and certainly less interest and capability for covering important industry issues, trends and news.
What you are in for is more of what we see in some trade titles today: lightweight tabloid-style yarns, beat-ups and narrow angles – usually negative – on anything that generates online traffic. You’ll get blatant and relentless daily editorial self-promotion of higher-margin conferences and events because, like consumers, we trendsetting industry types want coverage without paying for it.
And that’s all fine. Change can be painful but equally stimulating. Just as long the industry knows where it’s all headed and in what direction it is pushing its industry media. It won’t be too far away, for example, when you all can hack back your budget for PR operatives. And PR types, brace for a much harder slog. Seriously, most of you won’t be needed. The deluge of PR-generated ideas and story angles is rising rapidly while the ability for business-to-business media to cover it is declining at the same pace. Don’t forget that. Okay, sorry, rant over.
Now for the good bit. AdNews is stubborn and we’re still investing. You’ll see evidence of this in coming months. We think that considered and challenging coverage of the wild and fast-paced media and marketing industries remains important and wanted. So enjoy the new book, and see you in print for the next edition.
Paul McIntyre
Editor-in-chief
AdNews
This article first appeared in the 12 July 2013 edition of AdNews, in print and on iPad. Click here to subscribe for more news, features and opinion.