2010: things looking up?
Predictions. That is what it is all about as we start a new year. Let me throw my own into the ring here.
First of all, it is good to be back after three weeks of giving TheMarioBlog (and Mario) a break. I have had a wonderfuil, quiet time with family and friends, mostly in sunny typical Florida weather—-which has turned chilly in the past 48 hours, although that big Florida sun does shine above us, warming things up a bit.
As I look out the window into 2010 for our business, I see a few things that I share with you:
“Show me the money”
This may be the “show me the money” year for the media. Indeed, I think that we will spend more time and energy coming up with ways to charge for the information we gather, process and present to the public. In 2009 we saw much talk about the subject of charging for online information, for example; I predict that in 2010 talk will turn more into action.
I have already witnessed the focusing on this issue in newsrooms around the globe. More concrete strategies, such as charging for SOME of the content posted online, will now be implemented. I think it will happen with the major players first—-large metropolitan dailies——and then passing on to regional titles.
We will see some progress here in the United States.
End of the free?
While on the subject of money, I foresee the birth of fewer “free” newspapers worldwide.
Yes, there still will be some free papers distributed at the entrance of the train station or at that busy intersection downtown, but it will be tougher for those dailies to survive. Media managers will think twice before they create a “free” newspaper, and, indeed, some of the existing ones will redefine their strategy—-the most successful ones may decide to abandon FREE and go for sale, perhaps at a cheap price for consumers.
Online design: ready for stage three
The design of news websites has not been the most aesthetic——in most cases——but that is likely to change. Newspapers are likely to spend more time conceptiualizing their online editions, firming up their brand online and making their websites distinctive, as opposed to imitations of how others do it. There was a time, decades ago, when every newspaper had a distinct look that set it apart from the rest. News websites all tend to look similar. In 2010 we are likely to see more effort spent making these titles distinctive thru the design of their websites.
An Apple tablet a day……
Those of us attached physically and mentally to our iPhones already know the power of the Apple.
Now Apple may bring out its often-discussed touchscreen tablet computer, or iPad, to the market in 2010, It will be more of an oversized iPod Touch, with an 8-inch or 10-inch screen, than a downsized Macintosh. With its larger screen, experts claim that the Apple tablet will be ideal for watching movies, surfing the Web, playing online games, and reading books, magazines and newspapers, doing things Kindle cannot do.
Newspaper executives have Apple in their thoughts as 2010 begins. With iPhone applications growing by the minute, plus the name recognition and product satisfaction that comes with anything Apple, this new tablet may be the closest thing we have to technology that users will rush to get.
Good news for storytellers, and almost here.
Rethinking of our website
2010 is also the year we at Garcia Media look at this website and how it can be better architecturally and visually. We are taking the first steps to conceptualize a new Garcia Media media to provide you with a richer experience.
The tallest building in the world
Poster pages of the Burj as published by the Gulf News of Dubai
Here is photo I took of the Burj as it approached its final construction stage
Here is the posters published by Dubai’s Gulf News to celebrate the opening of the The Burj Dubai tower, a needle-shaped skyscraper which stands more than 800 metres tall and can be seen from 95 kilometres away. The Burj Dubai houses the world’s first Armani hotel on the bottom floors, the Burj Dubai Tower also houses 900 Dubai residences, 37 floors of office space, a fine dining restaurant and an observation deck.
I have photographed the Burj over the past two years during my visits to Dubai, building up a collection of images of the structure in various phases of its construction.
Miguel Gomez, art director of the Gulf News, sent us these pdfs to share with you.
TheMarioBlog post #443