Newspapers alive and kicking but must segment and target to survive

More cause for optimism in the newspaper industry but once again the momentum for the future is niche marketing.

A study by Roland Berger consultants (via Editors Weblog) concludes that

Despite its many ostensible swansongs, the market for print media is quite alive and kicking

and

"Magazines and newspapers will only be able to achieve lasting success in multimedia competition if they really know their target groups and focus on the inherent strengths of print publications. We see growth potential in the premium reader segment and in other niches. The ability to fill a niche, strengthen the brand and improve competence in innovation will be the decisive factors."

They summarize a number of points that the industry must look at.

1. Consistent target group orientation and aligning publication as well as reader market and advertising market strategies within a comprehensive publishing concept has become a critical success factor for all publishing houses


2. premium readers are the most attractive segment for publishing houses, as these readers will continue to use print media in the future, are prepared to pay for them and are the best argument for the advertising market


3. Online advertising is the fastest growing advertising segment – but print media are losing far less ground to the online boom than many had anticipated


4. print media will have to focus on their inherent strengths – beyond quality, these include providing readers with an individual experience and the deliberate choice to set aside quality time in their busy schedules


5. niches still hold growth potential – However, some publishing houses still have to learn how to successfully fill niches


6. a strong brand is becoming more and more important in a increasingly fragmented media landscape. Younger generations have to be "trained" to become readers and get used to print media early on


7. As the dynamics of the media market will continue unabated, the ability to innovate and develop new products will become a critical success factor – publishing houses will have to be more creative and show that they have the courage to reform and experiment with new ideas by launching new offerings