Among other things, this economic meltdown has called the question in certain industries as to which segments are becoming obsolete. Perhaps the hardest hit in this manner are the newspapers, followed by the print media, in general. Old time news outlets are finding themselves out of fashion as public preference is for the digital media. Another reason that is often cited are the citizen journalists, the bloggers and others who flood the Internet with news bits and political, financial, and social commentary. When you have amateurs doing the work, then professionals are not in demand.
Book publishing is another segment that has taken a hit. With the advent of Kindle, more books are being produced digitally and being downloaded to the Kindles and Sony Digital Readers. While some still prefer having book in their hands, others believe the digital downloads are lot more convenient, especially for traveling.
Certain segments of advertising are becoming outdated, outmoded, if not completely obsolete. Print media advertising and even some television advertising has been on the decline. Part of the reason may be the economic downturn, and part of it is a sign of the shifting market and the advancement of digital technology.
Now marketing faces its challenges. As consumer driven marketers and opinion makers increase in influence and presence, there is less need for professional marketers. At least, that is the opinion of some as expressed in a recent article in AdAge.com. Whether this prevailing opinion is prevailing wisdom is another story. Social media is the word of the day, and the impact of social media is remarkable. But whether social media will sustain itself in setting marketing trends is another issue. There are mitigating factors, and some will not be resolved for some time.
When it comes to our consumer tastes, we are a fickle nation. We can grow bored with social media or become overloaded by the surfeit of information. We may tire of sorting through the mediocre content in order to discern the meaningful content. Too many false reports, or inaccurate reports, by wannabe marketers, can instill skepticism and lack of credibility.
It is time for marketers, as well as journalists and publishers to reinvent themselves. It is time for advertising to adapt to the new media and the outlets involved. Those who do will prevail. Those who don’t will fall by the wayside. But to believe as many do that amateur will take over these roles and maintain the disciplines and skill sets of professionals is wishful thinking. Professionals are usually professionals because they are better trained. Because they do it better
