A simplistic question, but with no simple answers. Let’s hear it from Dr Bhaskar Das in the September 1 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…
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Q. Is the entry of big business (and hence more money) good for the Indian media?
A. It can’t be a binary answer. Good or bad is a relative term, depending on from whose prism one is evaluating a scenario. So, one needs to be clinical about how a business needs to move forward. As an industry, we need to introspect and make a choice if idealism should get precedence over viability. It’s a choice and every choice has to have a sacrifice. Accordingly, one can opt for SVOD model of topline, even if there is reduction in subscriber. If one invests in quality journalism, audience would come come back. If one opts for AVOD Model , then consumers can spend less on subscription, provides they want to be interrupted by intrusive advertising.
One can even opt for a hybrid model of freemium to give the audience a choice. A 24×7, platform-agnostic presence can attract different types of users and application of AI /ML can improve the business efficiency and effectiveness to a great extent, NYT, Washington Post, WSJ and FT are practising this well. So we need to deliberate more on business aspect than , without abjuring the path of quality journalism. In fact the leaders of news industry need to collaborate in devising a roadmap for the fu, instead of indulging in internecine rivalry.