The news is one of the major story making aspects that a large number of individuals are significantly interested in. People seek to understand the occurrences that take place in their countries, which can affect them or other individuals. With this regard, therefore, a significant industry has fully been established in every country, whose main purpose is to deliver news to all individuals. Even before technological advancements which led to the establishment of aspects like the World Wide Web, the news industry where people managed to attain the proceedings of the country had already been established. Companies that operate in this industry include the newspapers companies, magazines, and different television programs, which ensure that they inform individuals on all the occurrences which take place in their countries that might eventually impact their lives. Significant changes, have however occurred, since the establishment and advancement of technology, and mostly the World Wide Web. The internet has led to the emergence of many other ways through which people can share news and information, an aspect that has significantly impacted the news industry. This paper assesses the news industry and evaluates the different ways through which it has been impacted by the internet and other recent changes. It specifically assess the Singaporean online newspaper known as The Strait Times Newspaper and evaluated how it has reinvented itself.
To understand effectively on the many changes that have occurred, which different the traditional news industry and the current one, it is appropriate to assess the changing trends in this industry. The first major trend that has been developing and changing significantly is the growing role of social media in sharing news information. A large number of individuals are currently utilizing social media to share information. Currently, almost all individuals that are interested in technology can access the internet through gadgets like mobile phones and laptops. This capability provides these individuals with access to social media platforms like Facebook and twitter, where it is very easy for them to obtain and access information. With this regard, therefore, the individuals can remain completely capable and appropriate in the activities that they involve in. The other important aspect of consideration is the means through which individuals can remain capable of retaining effectiveness in the activities that individuals involved in, without the problem of effectiveness which they may face (Belam, 2010).
The other significant changing aspect in this industry is the problem of fake news, which has significantly emerged since the establishment of social media methods of sharing news. In social media platforms, individuals are given the responsibility to share news and communicate their ideas to other individuals. This aspect has led to a large number of individuals being provided with information which is however not true, an aspect that sometimes misleads them. With this understanding, it is clear that the industry requires establishing certain means through which it can operate in an appropriate manner and reduce instances where individuals are provided with information that is not credible.
The news industry is currently facing a large number of challenges and opportunities. To begin with, the industry is facing a major challenge of the fake news issue, where a large number of companies that give news are challenged by the need to prove to their audience that the information they give is credible. If for example, an individual viewed a fake news article from a certain source in social media, he or she would not have a lot of confidence when viewing any other news article, since there would be no clarity on whether the information provided in that article is credible. There is, however, the major opportunity that the industry companies have, where they can demonstrate and brand themselves as the only organization whose information can be relied upon. Another opportunity that present is the use of technology to develop and improve how information is shared and the means through the audience have better ways of accessing this information. A Magazine’s company, has, for example, the opportunity to provide its magazine content on the internet, where any individuals looking for any specific magazine can access it easily (Wilson, & Layton, 2017).
Propose a research question and select an appropriate research method to determine how successfully the online newspaper had reinvented itself to meet the challenge posed by the digital revolution.
As explained earlier, the digital evolution is a major recent change that has significantly affected the news industry. It simply involves the recent technology changes that have taken place which has resulted in a large number of individuals having the ability to share the news with other people through internet-based platforms like Facebook and Twitter. As a response to this occurrence, the newspaper companies have felt the need to establish themselves online, to make sure that all individuals manage to access credible news from any organization that they prefer in an appropriate manner. The online newspaper has thus needed to reinvent its self sometimes to meet and remain competitive despite the challenge that is posed by the digital revolution. The aspect of reinvesting to increase competitiveness is well recognized, and it purposefully understood. Here is, however, the need to determine whether this reinvention was successful and has helped the newspaper meet its desired goals and targets. A research study can thus be utilized to determine this aspect and explain whether the reinvention mentioned is appropriate and beneficial. The appropriate research question to address this issue is the question, “did the online newspaper reinvention strategies to deal with the digital revolution issue become successful?”
This research question will help to address all the important issues that are established and make sure that all the individuals in question manage to remain completely capable of maintaining effectiveness in the most appropriate manner. To carry out such research, the first major aspect of consideration is the most appropriate research method that can be utilized to successfully address all the requirements of success. There are two main types of research studies, which include the qualitative research and the quantitative research method. The qualitative research method, to begin with, involves the utilization of different theories and understandings of different individuals to explain and address a certain research question. The quantitative research study, on the other hand, refers to the means through which a topic is studied and understood through the use of data analysis and mathematical calculations. Each one of these methods is appropriate, and they are interchangeably used in different research studies. For the case of this research study, however, people and their opinions are more involved in the study, and thus I would select the qualitative research method as the most appropriate to address the study (Bridges, Litman, & Bridges, 2006).
Qualitative research is fully understood as an exploratory research. Through this research, individuals understand the underlying reasons, motivations, and opinions of certain occurrences. With this research method, it is simple for an individual to understand different aspects and occurrences regarding the online newspapers and the opinions of individuals regarding the digital evolution. The method also allows a proper assessment of the sources that other authors have provided as a way of assessing the opinions and theories provided by expert researchers. Qualitative research is thus an appropriate, method that can be utilized to provide information and insight regarding the online newspaper and the different ways through which it can be carried out effectively.
To complete any research study in an appropriate manner, the other important aspect that should be put into consideration is the different methods that will be utilized for data collection. Research studies involve gathering data from a large number of sources and using that data to provide a successful insights and understanding of a certain topic. The topic of online newspapers and their current competitive position is a topic whose main data can be obtained from people who use online sources to obtain news and any other individual who may have access to the internet. With this regard, therefore, the most appropriate methods that can be utilized in collecting this data include surveys, interviews, and questionnaires (Kolodzy, 2006).
The survey method of data collection, to begin with, is one of the most common methods that individuals utilize when they are in the activity of collecting data from a large population of individuals. The survey consists of questions where individuals provide answers, according to the degree of agreement or disagreement they have on the claim that is made. Surveys can be conducted both physically and through the internet. Since the study is based on online newspapers, the most appropriate medium for carrying out this survey is the internet. The survey questions should be prepared such that they will manage to obtain information regarding the effectiveness of online newspapers and how often the survey respondents utilize them. A good example of a question that can be utilized to address these individuals, therefore includes the question of how regular they read those sources and how much they prefer their content to others news content obtained in other sources like social media platforms. With such questions, it would be extremely easy for an individual to attain an understanding of how the newspapers operate and the opinions that majority of the individuals who are most likely their target market have on them.
Apart from surveys, questionnaires refer to the other appropriate method that can be utilized in collecting data in this method. Questionnaires provide individuals with some questions which are developed by the researcher, where he or she can provide answers according to his or her opinion on the matter being researched. In many occasions, questionnaires are provided to a smaller target group of individuals who have more interest in providing answers to the research study than those individuals who take the survey. This method of data collection is appropriate in that it enables the individuals to be more specific in the answers that they give and gives the respondents an opportunity to explain their findings and explanations. Questionnaires are also important because they help the researchers have a more detailed set of information which they can draw insights and understand how the respondents perceive the topic in question effectively (Bateman, 2016).
The other method of data collection interviews. Interviews consist of an even better method of collecting data and information from an individual. The main shortcoming about interviews is the fact that they are time-consuming, an aspect that makes them completely difficult for individuals to utilize regularly. About the research about the online newspapers effectiveness in remaining competitive despite the recent technological advancement, the interviews should be carried out with individuals that have any form of direct connection with an online newspaper company. Such an individual can provide the interviewer with information that is essential, regarding the strategies and methods that are appropriate to utilize in helping to ensure that the company remains relevant. The interview method can thus help to provide data about the different ways that the online newspaper managements aim to use to ensure that they remain completely effective in the news industry.
After obtaining this data, the analysis will be carried out to obtain insight and information that is relevant and appropriate in data establishment. This aspect is beneficial and appropriate since it is through analysis of data that the researchers can determine what results the data obtained provides. Without a proper establishment of data analysis, researchers cannot understand the most important aspects regarding the data that they collect. The stage of analyzing data is therefore crucial to this research. It is after the data has been collected and analyzed that the information regarding the topic and theories raised about it can be proved or disapproved (Phillips, & Yager, 1998).
The research method that will be used to carry out this research is therefore completely appropriate and capable of providing the information needed. Through the qualitative method, the information obtained will help to prove whether the Straight Times strategies of remaining relevant in the news industry have been successful. The research study carried out in this manner can clarify whether the individuals manage to remain relevant and capable of maintaining effectiveness on how they operate. The Straight Times newspaper is currently one of the most common newspaper organizations that present and provide live feed on news and articles online. The organization therefore has managed to remain relevant over time. This research method and plan will help in providing information about the strategies that this organization has utilized in order to remain relevant to date (Straignt Times, 2017).
Use the market model or the public sphere model, or both, to evaluate the way the online newspaper in (b) serves its audience. Prepare an action plan to recommend changes the online newspaper should make to reach its audience more effectively in the digital age.
How the online newspaper services its audience
The online newspaper provides information to a large number of individuals who have access to the internet. It is mainly an independent stand-alone publication or an online version of a certain newspaper brand. Newspaper brands that had initially been established and those that are well recognized feel the need to provide an online version of their news so that they can also manage to attract individuals that prefer getting information from the internet and not the hard copy of it. The online newspaper has significant advantages and capabilities attached to it, which makes it a much better way of improving any prior existing newspaper brand, mostly because it provides the company a chance to compete with other broadcasting companies. The newspapers that are hard printed are for example known to be provided on a daily basis. This aspect makes them less effective in the activity of delivering news to individuals, compared to the other broadcasting companies which broadcast breaking news every few minutes the news is received. If for example, an activity takes place today, the hard printing newspaper, despite the importance and urgency of that issue can only report it the next day in the paper of the day. A broadcasting company like a certain TV station, for example, can broadcast that information immediately it is received, an aspect that significantly increases the effectiveness of that news broadcasting organization compared to the newspaper (SElvin, 2016).
To better understand the online newspaper and the means through which it manages to serve its targeted audience, it is appropriate to utilize a well-known model which is also used in other ways in business. The model that is appropriate to use to provide a clear understanding of the same is the market model. The market model provides information regarding the different ways through which the online newspaper address the needs of its audience. The model explains that the paper is mainly based on the needs of content for the audience. The paper targets a certain number of individuals. There is a lot of new information which it can provide and thus for that reason, the need to decide the information to publish and the information not to publish arises. The market model helps in explaining that the paper’s choice of content is guided by choice of content that its targeted audience feels the need to listen to. With this understanding, therefore, the content of the online newspaper is determined by the content that the targeted audience feels the need to view.
Like all other forms of products, the market model mostly explains that the product offered into the market is mainly based on the preference of the individuals who are targeted to purchase it. This theory and model is appropriate because an individual cannot read a newspaper when he or she is certain that the information provided in that newspaper will not be as satisfying for him or her as he or she would have wanted. The market preferences, therefore, like the market model explain is the determining factor on the content of news that is provided in the online newspapers. Another important aspect that is appropriate to understand when considering how the online newspapers operate is the difference on how the news is provided. Unlike the hard printed news copy, information in these newspapers can be added or edited in different ways. With this regard, therefore flexibility is a part of the online newspaper, which makes it more reliable and preferred compared to the hard printed paper (Barrow, 2008).
The aspect of being able to provide breaking news is one of the preferences that people who read news have. An individual requires being fully updated on all the occurrences that are taking place as they take place. With this regard, therefore, the majority of the individuals turn to social media or to other instant news providing organizations where they can read the occurrences taking place as they take place, without having to wait for a large number of hours before they can read the news from another newspaper. To compete with such, the hard printing newspaper organizations establish well-printed newspapers which are all aimed at ensuring that they remain fully attractive to the readers. They also ensure that they include a lot of detailed information organized in an appropriate manner, to give a reason to people who might have briefly viewed that news in another source to also view the newspaper and increase their knowledge on the same. The other strategy that they utilize is the establishment of an online platform where the information that is obtained can be shared instantly. This strategy is mainly aimed at ensuring that all individuals manage to remain completely effective and capable of maintaining effectiveness in all the operations that take place.
The market model explains the issue of the preferences of the people as the main determinant of the content that different online newspapers provide. Apart from the content, the general existence and gap that these forms of newspapers aim to fill are satisfaction of the audience’s preferences. This is because an individual may prefer to have all the breaking news in a certain place anytime they take place. This aspect is considered beneficial and appropriate in that individuals are well conversant with the different ways through which they can manage to remain completely effective and appropriate (Spinellis, 2003).
Like all other forms of organizations that aim to provide service to their audiences, there is a large number of methods that the online newspapers can utilize to increase their effectiveness. To begin with, the online newspapers have a problem in that they do not provide features for their viewers to provide feedback on the content and service they receive from them. With this understanding, therefore, the first important recommendation that I would make is the implementation of feedback platforms within the newspapers platforms, where the individuals that address these newspapers can provide feedback in. This aspect is important because, through this feedback, the organizations providing the content can obtain ways and strategies of improving their service and thus increasing their competitiveness in the news industry significantly (Rebonato, McKay, & White, 2011).
The other recommendation that I would make is establishing a platform on the online newspapers where individuals can communicate and comment on different topics provided and explained in the articles. This aspect is important because, with places where the individuals can comment on the content of the paper, other individuals would be attracted to read the paper because of the entertaining comment they are likely to read which are posted by other people. A large number of people is also likely to help in increasing the number of customers that visit the online newspapers page on a regular basis. Implementation of these changes in the establishment of the online newspaper is likely to help in improving the online newspapers guideline.
References
SElvin, C. (2016). Social media is changing our digital news habits – but to varying degrees in US and UK: The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/social-media-is-changing-our-digital-news-habits-but-to-varying-degrees-in-us-and-uk-60900
Belam, M. (2010). Journalism in the digital age: trends, tools and technologies”: The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/help/insideguardian/2010/apr/14/journalism-trends-tools-technologies
Wilson, B. & Layton, J. (2017). How Newspapers Work: How Stuff Works. Retrieved from https://people.howstuffworks.com/newspaper.htm
Barrow, C. (2008). Starting a business from home : choosing a business, getting online, reaching your market and making a profit. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Ltd.
Bateman, D. (2016). Business plans that get investment : a real-world guide on how to write a business plan. London: Legend Business.
Bridges, J., Litman, B. & Bridges, L. (2006). Newspaper competition in the millennium. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Kolodzy, J. (2006). Convergence journalism : writing and reporting across the news media. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield.
Phillips, V. & Yager, C. (1998). Writer’s guide to Internet resources. New York: Macmillan, USA.
Rebonato, R., McKay, K. & White, R. (2011). The SABR/LIBOR Market Model Pricing, Calibration and Hedging for Complex Interest-Rate Derivatives. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Spinellis, D. (2003). Cross-Media Service Delivery. Boston, MA: Springer US.
Straignt Times, (2017). The Straight times; Winner of 7 Awards Including Best News Website & Best Data Visualization at 2016 Asian Digital Media Awards: Straight Times. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/global
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