S K Khurana
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Presently, outstanding success in any industry is a potent combination of relevant innovations and appropriate business strategies. While innovation efficaciously enables us to take the changing market scenario as a new opportunity rather than a challenge, the right strategy ensures optimum results presenting a preview of the short and long term effect of any initiatives. Undoubtedly, newspaper publishers across the word and India as well recognise this fact and proceed accordingly with the pace of time up to the very strengths of their resources.
With the beginning of the year, the innovative concepts have started to revamp newspapers globally. On Jan 01, Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun produced an 8-page 3D supplement, printed in 4-colour to show a three-dimensional effect for all of the featured photographs and advertisements; and on Jan 22, one of the India’s leading newspapers, Hindustan Times also enthralled their readers with 20-page real estate supplement containing photographs and advertisements in 3D. Such innovations with a physical feel of the newspaper will definitely score higher marks over digital communication which is making so called new wave in developed world. Though Feb 02, News Corporation generated yet another wave in this drive unveiling The Daily - the industry’s first national daily news publication created from the ground up for iPad. It is the first application made available on the App Store as a subscription - which will be billed directly to an iTunes account. And being paperless newspaper requiring no multi-million dollar presses or delivery trucks, it will be priced at just 99 cents a week (or $39.99 for an annual subscription). The Daily is also changing the way advertising is offered and consumed within a news publication: its full-page ad units are completely interactive, customizable, and offer a rich mix of branding and direct response opportunities.
Whatever has been witnessed so far is just the beginning of innovation drive. With initiatives of major newspaper publishing houses in Germany, Thailand, Belgium, Brazil, Japan, etc, the 3D concept has already started thriving the newspaper industry across the world. From India, Mid-Day, Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar apart from Hindustan Times came up with similar innovations in some places. The Times of India and The Hindu surprised readers by offering a talking Volkswagen ad in the newspapers. The Times of India also came up with ‘roadblock’ advertising concepts. Barcode innovation for advertising is yet another concept adopted by many newspapers and magazines in India.
Now when the global markets are marking effective recovery from years-long slowdown, there seems no reason to go ahead for making 2011 as the ‘Year of Innovations’ to change the face and feel of the newspapers that would ultimately consolidate their position in the wake of multi-channel news publishing phenomenon, along with increasing the revenues by significantly attracting more advertisers and audiences. So, it is the time to go innovatively with multi-dimensional approach all over.
Wishing you all a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 filled with many innovations achieving constant success…!
