Optimizing Multi-Channel Publishing for the Press

Today I added one picture to the eReading Reference Architecture : the multichannel publishing options for the press (newspapers).

Today newspapers face the challenge of optimizing the use and return of eReading Devices. To do so at least two options can co-exist :

• A digital kiosk where they will sell an electronic version, more or less matching the regular paper experience
• The use of a news aggregator which will re-publish groups of related articles as specific media channels targeted for specific audiences. The aggregator can be used to distribute and sell specific news to the readers who don't want to read all the news but only a piece of it (for example : only news about motor-sports)

There are than 4 publishing options for newspaper, as the following picture illustrates.

When looking at this picture, the main questions for newspapers are the following :

• Which channels are really important to me ?
• How to optimize my return on articles by using the 4 channels ?
• How to avoid the cannibalization of a channel by another one ?
• How to minimize the investments in building the channels  ?

Those questions can be solved by using adequate portfolio management techniques. By segmenting the types of readers/the type of reading and the content channels, one can determine a service offering that will optimize the return on investment on the content.