The Course Projects for 2008

A) TECHNOLOGY AND THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

In some ways the publishing industry has been quick to embrace new technology. In others it has been desperately slow. For a decade or more some traditional print publishers have been wary of the digital concept per-se whilst others have embraced it and the technology more quickly.

This project should concentrate upon how the industry can harness and develop its traditional strengths and skills to promote off-line newspapers via new technology.

As part of this research project the group could look at what different publications are doing across the globe. How are they integrating with and benefiting from their digital properties? How can we use the customer insight and data that digital can provide to encourage readership trial and ultimate consumer acquisition? What acquisition programmes need to be in place? How can we use our own websites to more effectively drive sales?

The project need not just be confined to looking at how online properties of media companies can drive sales but could also consider how best to work with other online properties, including those of retailers, to increase sales.

The key question is’ ‘How to win with digital technology’. In trying to answer this question a number of other areas and questions should be considered; what are the do’s and don’ts? What different skills are required and how do those skills differ from those traditionally required? Where does one go to obtain these skill?

The interactions and relationships between various sections and departments within the publishing structure and the various elements of the supply chain should be considered. How will organisation/structure and process have to change in the future?

Who are the likely winners and losers within the supply chain as the application of new technology increases? Who needs to develop, adapt and change?

What of the ultimate end-user, the reader? What does the reader actually want and expect? How can that be delivered and measured?

One end result of this project would be to produce a best practice guide that could be circulated to the industry.

B) FREE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

Free newspapers and magazines have been around for a long time. However, they are now growing in number and some are getting better not only in their editorial content but also in the sophistication of their marketing and sales offering. In short they are here to stay and they are becoming mainstream.

The key question is, what does it take to succeed with ‘Free’s’? How is the whole industry having to adapt and change? Is there and, if so, what is, the best model for success? Who is winning, how and why?

How will organisation/structure and process have to change in the future?
What about quality and best practice. How do we measure and ‘police’ or does the market ultimately decide?

What are the interfaces and interrelationships within the publisher and throughout the supply chain and how are these changing? What role will traditional distributors and other service providers have to fulfil in the future? What new services and providers will emerge?

Above all perhaps, what about the reader? Are these new publications taking readers away from traditional media or creating new readers? Are they satisfied with quality and supply? How do we measure?

C) SUBSCRIPTIONS

UK print media, newspapers, magazines and the service providers throughout the whole supply chain have been, in general, slow in understanding the benefits of subscription sales. This has led to slow implementation of necessary mechanisms and slow development of necessary skills which in turn has resulted in a general underperformance of subscription volumes and revenues.

This project should ask the questions; why is this and what are the barriers that need to be overcome to reverse this?

What needs to change and who needs to do what? Clearly some publications and organisations are already benefiting? Who are they and what have they done differently that others could follow. And what of the rest of the industry and the services they provide?

The interfaces and interrelationships between different parts of the organisation and the supply chain could be explored. What needs to be in place. How does this implicate traditional, more well-established, sales avenues and relationships? Who are the winners and losers in the battle for subscribers.

What about quality, measurement, service and best practice?

What role is there for traditional service providers from distributors to retailers?

And, what about the ultimate customer; the reader? What does he get from being a subscriber? How do we know and measure?