Publishers are in ever more trouble, thanks to the GDPR. It increasingly seems like Facebook and Google are the inevitable saviors, for better or worse.
Popping the Publishing Bubble, Revisited; BuzzFeed’s Struggles; Axios’ Success
News from BuzzFeed in particular suggest the digital publishing bubble may be bursting. Axios, meanwhile, shows that subscriptions aren’t the only answer — but niche may be.
Publishers and the Pursuit of the Past
The newspaper industry is seeking an antitrust provision to negotiate for a return to a world that is gone and never coming back; worse, it is an approach that could ruin publishing’s true future.
Media Monday: Bill Simmons’ HBO Show Cancelled, Axios Unveiled (Kind-of)
It’s the return of Media Monday, including the cancellation of Bill Simmons’ TV show and the unveiling of Axios, and what both say about finding value in media.
Why ESPN Was Justified in Killing Grantland, Did ESPN Overpay for Sports Rights?, Disney Earnings
I’ve spent time on Grantland’s potential, but did ESPN really make a mistake by not taking advantage? I say no — the mistake was Grantland’s. Still, has ESPN stretched itself too thin, or might there be a method to their seeming madness when it comes to sports fees? Disney’s earnings — particularly CEO Bob Iger’s comments — suggest the latter.
Are Ebooks Declining, or Just the Publishers?, Oyster Goes Out of Business, Media Notes
A follow-up on e-book publishing, and why there is so much dispute about just how many e-books are sold.
Popping the Publishing Bubble
For years publishers haven’t had to worry about business models: they just captured attention and watched the money come in. Those days, though, are over: the publications that survive will start with business models and build journalism around it.
Tidal and the Future of Music
Predicting success and failure is about understanding who has leverage. In the case of music, the winners will be the labels, not the artist. But perhaps there is hope for tomorrow
Publishers and the Smiling Curve
Publishers used to live at the point of integration. The value of that integration, though, is gone with the Internet, which means value flows to suppliers and aggregators.
Daily Update: Uber v Lyft in NYC, Defending Surge Pricing, Taylor Swift on Music
Good morning, I wrote a piece on Stratechery called Smartphone Truths and Samsung’s Inevitable Decline. While it is mostly about why Samsung’s disappointing results shouldn’t be a surprise, there are also several points that cover why Apple is not doomed, but Microsoft and Amazon are. Today’s theme is supply-and-demand, and we unsurprisingly start with UberSubscribe […]