2 September 2009

When a conventional media house buys a 'citizen journo" site...

I have talked in the past about another kind of convergence, where conventional media companies acquire or partner a social media outfit.
New York Times made Freakonomics.com which is a blog derivative of the eponymous book a part of its Web initiatives.
 Now comes news that Examiner.com has acquired NowPublic, which lets local news and "citizen based" feeds aggregate on its site..a bit of a more newsy form of "user-generated content"
The convergence is happening and is sort of healthy. But I can't easily gauge the shape it will take.

TOI, ET losing circulation in Mumbai: Is the Old Lady of Bori Bunder aging further?

I find this quite interesting.
Could it be true? The venerable Old Lady of Bori Bunder losing hold in her Victorian bastion? Are Hindustan Times and DNA eating into her vitals?
Or is it that thing called TV or Internet which is making readers less interested to pay for it?
I don't know, but it is clear to me that the newspaper business is headed for a real churning. The winners will be those who truly understand readers-- and that's easier said than done.
Here is the story with some details. Data is still pouring in.