My last few days have been interesting– I’ve been speaking with some of the major print publishers in the industry about their current strategy and challenges. Unsurprisingly, most of them are focused on mobile and/or video product roll-outs.

What is particularly fascinating about these conversations is that publishers are taking a direction where execution and success are solely focused on catching up with successful or popular products produced by typically non-print oriented publications.

While is it noble to try and keep up with the Jones’, I wish I was seeing more innovation or willingness to take a bet and impress consumers with something radically different or better than either their print product or the established digital product in market. 

However, there is a silver lining. Many of these publishers have taken positive steps in hiring digital-focused staff at the C-level, purchasing large digital-only businesses or in producing a successful internal product (luck?).

The digital landscape is not slowing down for anyone - competition is entering from every angle and consumers are demanding high quality and comparable features from every publisher, especially on mobile. Publishers have little room for error when moving into new content spaces, like mobile, but if they don’t launch quickly they risk their brands losing relevance. 

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