Newspapers are dying.
Local TV stations are struggling.
Many radio stations have been in decline for more than a decade.
And then, Jeff happened.
This has been a fascinating couple of weeks if you’re interested in newspapers and digital media. John Henry (owner of the Boston Red Sox) bought the Boston Globe and Jeff Bezos (Founder of Amazon) bought The Washington Post within the same week.
When I first heard about the Bezos move, I thought “huh?” But the more I considered it, the more excited I became. The Post and many other traditional media outlets have been dying, primarily because they fell behind the digital revolution and have been unable to monetize fast enough. But a few years from now, we may look back and see that all that finally changed in this seminal “Jeff Moment.”
Jeff Bezos is a master of media distribution and has boldly led Amazon into the publishing business. If anybody can lead The Washington Post into the digital age (and beyond), wouldn’t it be him? In fact, couldn’t the world benefit from more digital innovators making a move into “traditional business?” Wouldn’t it be great to see an executive from Amazon, eBay or Apple take over the US Postal Service, The Department of Motor Vehicles, or a major state university?
This is the topic that fuels our latest Marketing Companion Podcast. Please listen in as the scintillating Tom Webster and I explore …
Can the Amazonification of journalism save newspapers?
Will The Washington Post be the next great social media start-up?
Does Bezos represent a new breed of benefactor? Will more digital leaders move into traditional business spaces?
What are the possible implications of this move for advertising and marketing?
If you had $250 mm to spend, would you invest it in the content business?
What are the implications for personalized content delivery?
Is this purchase really an offline play?
… and much, much more. Please enjoy the podcast and let us know what you think!
Can’t wait? I know! This is good stuff! Listen now:
Other Ways to Listen to the Podcast:
