Monday 8 August 2011

Why the newspaper industry is like Michael Fish


Neil Thackray on TheMediaBriefing is predicting even worse times ahead for the newspaper industry, claiming it can't see the size of the storm that is brewing over hacking, changes in technology and the economic downturn.

He writes: "The newspaper industry seems to be in denial about the extent of the crisis it faces. It is in danger of looking like Michael Fish the night before the big storm in 1987 [see post below]."

Thackray concludes: "When readers are losing faith in the integrity of what newspapers do, and shareholders are losing faith in the future of newspapers, when the economy is teetering on the edge of a double dip recession, when technology change is challenging the very essence of how newspapers do business, the conditions for a perfect storm are arising.

"The response to this storm will require a new round of fresh thinking.

"I can’t wait to see what a digital guy makes of it all. What on earth will Ashley Highfield [the new chief exec] do with Johnston Press ?"

2 comments:

Michael Cross said...

The great storm was in 1987, not 1989. And don't you forget it, laddie.

Jon Slattery said...

Thanks Michael,

I've changed it.