Thank you for posting more thoughts around this issue. While I do agree that the availability of content on the web puts companies looking to advertise in the driver seat, you have to remember that they are trying to find a specialized audience with the cosign of a trusted authority (blogger or content production team). Not every Tom, Dick and Jane with a website can create those things - those two qualities still require creativity, hard work and knowledge of the space. Those two things are still staples of any marginally profitable news source, online or offline. The newspaper activity has to become more specialized for the customer because the consumer is coming online with less and less time to find the relevant news and the spray method used right now only gives noise.COMPELLING News and Opinions in a specialized channel add more value than the spray method. But even more so, ease of interaction around the content is where value is truly derived. Web content has been charged for since before 2000 as smart marketers pooled their at-the-time asymmetric information into membership sites. What has now been happening is that as that content becomes more obsolete/widespread, the development of the web community has taken its place. The thought is this: I can be ahead of the curve for only so long with the report/book/interview. If I want to maintain a leadership position in this field, I will need to attract the very best thinkers in this field that are not so much interested in monetization as there in discussing and debating the emerging trends in this field. After creating a buzz around this talent, I put myself out as the timely Gatekeeper with keys in hand for a nice “donation”. Sometimes, they even offer free subscriptions and gifts to these leaders just to build that “exclusivity” factor. Novices and Companies would both pay for access and association. It is tricky business model as it cannot be monetized to the detriment of the interaction(in the eyes of the leaders - remember, they hold the cards). But if the mix is done right, you would have corporate advertisers begging for endorsements/advertising space and become a leader in the space by not entirely being the “true” leader of that space. When one of the leaders’ smartens and goes to market with his own community, free or paid, you’re totally taken out of market share and the other “staples” will notice as well. Only if their personal affiliation with the site is beyond the money and actually gives them value by being a part of the community will the website continue to succeed.

In addition, I believe that the media has generalized the Gen Y generation as one of laptop-tied, Starbucks drinkers who can look to their Blackberry or computer screen regarding riots in Thailand. Many of my peers mix both sources, print and online, for consumption depending on their needs of efficiency and content sharing. If they want to quickly share an article with their close friends before listening to a lecture, that Share option online would be really great in accomplishing that. However, if they are doing deep research into a particular industry, printing off a copy for citation and thesis building would be best. Simply, the tools of web content consumption have not developed in ease and functionality comparable to that of a pen and highlighter. There are experiments and attempts but they are only that at this time. And, hypothetically, when they are developed, what will be the game-changing implication for Binc? Web tools would only offer omni-access to cited content. Semantic analysis of cited content is almost too complex for the average user and only the true tech community would jump in. The full-size touch-screen at the TED conference a couple of years ago? The promise there is that users will be able to interact with content in a more intuitive way and give them a stronger feeling of control. Definitely two decades from success (introduction will be in the next decade) as it would have to move beyond the “just cool” category into functionality and another communication language will have to be taught quickly to billions of people. Remember: Gates wants you to touch a screen and with the creativity of a child, interact with your word documents, pictures, calendars and excel sheets. I don’t know if the Baby Boomer generation might be so on board with this concept (Generation Y may not be as privy as well even if we are first users most of the time - remember, we like functionality and actual value from our tools). Overall, web tools in 2100 will be able to accomplish a LOT more than the pen and highlighter of the 1900s.

Maybe that might be the next gold rush opp - training industry for full touch-screen computers that not only teaches the standard commands but the required mindset to customize your interaction technique with the software. Far out stuff indeed. I’ll start on that business plan. Stat.

Sorry for the digression - I’ll try to be more on-topic the next time.

Lyndon