http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/03/indian_print_dailies_have_not_harnessed.php
Indian print dailies have not harnessed the web Posted by Caroline Huber on March 13, 2009 at 10:41 AM Though most of India's daily newspapers do have an online presence, Indian online publications have not evolved the same purpose and format as U.S. and European news sites. In an afaqs.com article reporter Kapil Ohri examines the reasons for Indian newspapers' failure to create profitable online ventures. "Online editions are considered merely as an extension of the newspaper and are not treated as a separate source of revenue," says K. Srinvas, senior manager of Internet operations of Eeandu. While some online editions have tried innovative approaches to news, most Indian print dailies have not effectively harnessed the web to optimally reach and engage their readers. News websites could improve their content by improving presentation and incorporating more interesting visuals to make stories more interesting. Also, citizen journalism has not flourished on the Indian news forum. Dailies' websites allow readers to comment on stories, participate in polls, and share their own stories through social media sites, but there has been no major effort to involve the reader as part of the content, says Ohri. Most likely dailies have not made a major web effort because the online forum offers less revenue than the printed paper. "It's like a chicken and egg situation. Media companies do not intend to have a separate sales and content team for the online edition, apprehending that the expenses can't be recovered. Similarly, without a dedicated team, they can't look at earning sizeable revenue from the online venture," said a senior executive of an online firm to Ohri. A major reason for the failure of Indian news sites to generate revenue is the advertisers' perception of online media. "Advertisers still perceive that brand building campaigns work better on traditional media and a lot of them still use the Internet medium to run lead-generation campaigns," says Pradeep Sing, business head of Zeenews.com. A Time article last month partially attributes the success of daily newspapers in India to low Internet access. However, as the digital age continues and technology becomes increasingly widespread and affordable, perhaps Indian dailies should recognize the inevitability of online news and its potential for revenue. They may be able to observe the problems U.S. and European publications face as they try to develop viable online business models and begin their own improvement and innovation early. Source: afaqs.com
