Ronnie's Blog Spot

Niche Targeting, Online Newspapers

Audiences
In the classes I have been teaching we have discussed niche marketing or audience targeting. As the media executives and decision-makers opt to keep their focus narrower and narrower, this kind of targeting is the sign of the times. I, however, miss some of the broader focus because niche marketing presupposes knowledge of what is out there that each individual may not necessarily possess. For example, as someone in that so-called older audience range, I did not see – and was not even aware of – the movie, “Boynton Beach Club.” So guess who’s going to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster now to see about renting it? That would be me.

From the audience perspective, the problem I have with niche media is figuring out how to find what might be of interest to me. In the days when truly mass media prevailed, it was easier to keep up with trends and what was going on. I could follow-up on what interested me, and ignore what did not. Today, I find it difficult to keep tabs on all that might be of interest, given the plethora of communication possibilities that are out there. Yes, I know I can do a broad Google search and eventually find what I want, but this presupposes coming up with the correct search terms.

So while it is convenient for advertisers, marketers and programmers to identify me in terms of what they perceive as my interests, income, demographics, etc. by typecasting me according to those specifics, they could miss out on a world of (economic) opportunity to attract me and my peer group to what they have to offer.

These difficulties are not just age-specific either. For example, let’s look at our growing Hispanic population. The media have had an “ah-ha” moment with this demographic group as communications executives across the board try to figure out the best way to appeal to this audience. In English? Spanish? Spanish? Younger Hispanics or older Hispanics? Florida Hispanics (Cubans and Central Americans) or Texas and California Hispanics (more likely to be of Mexican descent). Reggaeton or salsa? Low income or affluent? The only show I’ve ever seen which seems to appeal to Hispanics across the Board is Univision’s long-running “Sabado Gigante” or “Gigantic Saturday,” a three-hour show with chit-chat, entertainment, prizes and an affable host whose name escapes me right now, but who everybody seems to like.

My point with all this is that while audience fragmentation is the way of the future, some attention still needs to be paid to appealing to the masses – so we can be exposed to things outside of our own specific interest ranges and learn about something new.

Two other things I would like to comment about briefly are the decreasing opportunities for minorities in the media and the proliferation of online news sites.

Our readings show that despite the lip service being paid to minority opportunity, the numbers are down. Some of this may not be due to anything more than pure economics – across the board media operations are engaging in cutbacks, downsizing, restructuring or any other euphemism that translates into fewer job opportunities for everyone. When you couple this with the fact that in many instances when cutbacks are implemented, the last hired, first fired syndrome prevails – and which demographic groups are among the last hired – African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics – in other words – minorities.

Some of the slack is being picked up by the increase in minority and ethnic targeted media. The San Francisco, Calif.-based New America Media New America is a very interesting collaboration of ethnic news organizations. It was founded by the nonprofit Pacific News Service in 1996, and brings together ethnic media news and journalists in a variety of ways. For more information, I refer you to their website: http://news.newamericamedia.org.

Obviously, because almost every newspaper is posting online editions, this now means if I have the time and so desire I can glance at dozens of newspapers in a single day from across the United States and around the world. I have mixed views of all this. I feel that we are all constantly on information overload. I will admit that I, at least, have a hard time not feeling as if I am simply running in place. Yes, it’s great to be able to access newspapers in London, Paris, and Hong Kong or anywhere in the world. But I am just glancing, seldom reading. I also miss getting a newspaper, although not doing so is my decision. I no longer subscribe to a newspaper – something I had done all my adult life – because so much is available to me now via the internet. But the main reason I stopped, is because I would see day’s worth of newspapers piling up untouched. So I have now become an online reader. I don’t know what the numbers are for online readers, but actual newspaper readership is down – and I think that will continue. Take a look at this story.

World’s Oldest Newspaper Now Exists Only Online

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Call it a sign of the times: The world's oldest newspaper still in circulation has dropped its paper edition and now exists only in cyberspace.

Post-och Inrikes Tidningar, founded in 1645 by Sweden's Queen Kristina, became a Web-only publication on January 1.

"We think it's a cultural disaster," said Hans Holm, who served as the chief editor of the paper for 20 years. "It is sad when you have worked with it for so long and it has been around for so long."

What do you think?

posted by Ronnie @ 7:15 AM