Magazines are Solution to Web’s "Cesspool of Disinformation," says Google’s Eric Schmidt

More than 400 magazine publishing and editorial executive plus a sprinkling of agency and advertiser executives gathered earlier this week in San Francisco for the annual American Magazine Conference With an opening discussion with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and a closing conversation with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the conference acknowledged the serious challenges facing the industry but emphasized solutions and growth opportunitiesHighlights ironically were a luncheon conversation with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and an afternoon visit to the Silicon Valley campus of Google where publishers were embraced as partners by CEO Eric Schmidt amp8220Narrative sustains the media businessamp8221 said Schmidt amp8220amp8230but the future of high quality journalism is a huge problem A reasonable prediction is that there will be fewer voices More money is needed to fund high quality workamp8221 Schmidt rhetorically asked if amp8220young audiences will want a more interactive experience in printamp8221 Print he suggested amp8220will be a smaller component of a much larger online business serving an audience that consumes in a different wayamp8221Schmidt suggested that publishers work with Google on amp8220joint projects focused around website dwell time Google sends people to magazine sites but they spend limited time thereamp8221 There is a danger Schmidt exclaimed of the Internet amp8220becoming a cesspoolamp8221 adding it is in need of high quality content of the type provided by magazines amp8220In a world of disinformation which is the futureamp8221 he said amp8220brands are the solution Brand affinity is hard wired and fundamental to the human condition amp8211 who you trust and who you donamp8217t People want real value real information real leadership and messages of hopeamp8221 Schmidtamp8217s recommendations resonated not only as a business model but as an appropriate foundation for political campaigns In an interview in advance of the AMC Meredith Publishing president Jack Griffin agreed amp8220in tough times there will be a migration of investment dollars to strong brands and measureable activities Meredithamp8221 he pointed out amp8220has deliberately built sources of revenue and cash flow that are outside of the traditional advertising pathamp8221 Meredith EVP Andy Sareyan joining a panel with American Express Publishing CEO Ed Kelly and IDG CEO Bob Carrigan said 25 percent of Meredith Publishingamp8217s revenues are generated by nonmagazine activities Nonmagazine revenues Griffin pointed out have grown at a doubledigit rate notwithstanding the economy amp8220In tough timesamp8221 he said amp8220money flows to where the impact can be quantifiedamp8221 Schmidt agreed amp8220Publishers need to take the brand experience into networks and turn it into something that drives sales Driving immediate sales is the holy grailamp8221 He believes static display advertising will be replaced by more engaging and more targeted multimedia experiencesJamie Byrne YouTubeamp8217s head of client solutions and ad programs told the magazine publishers and editors that online video will be central to consumersamp8217 lives becoming a primary form of communications The digital landscape he explained is becoming multimedia and great content will still be king He proposed three ways for magazines to leverage YouTube Extend and deepen relationships with audiences Promote and extend the magazine brand digitally Create new revenue streams using YouTube brand channels Byrne shared People magazineamp8217s Emmy Awards Red CarpetYouTube contest and Cosmopolitanamp8217s Rock Star promotion singling out Hearst Magazines for its innovative work with YouTubeEsquire which incorporated the first electronicdigital chip into the cover of its 75th Anniversary cover this month is planning to expand the functionality of electronic enhancements in the magazine and is amp8220hoping for the exponential factoramp8221 commented publisher Kevin Oamp8217Malley in an interview in advance of the AMC amp8220Itamp8217s important to lead through innovationamp8221 he said amp8220In a YouTube world of aimless wandering what is efficiency if not an engaged audience Consumers are bouncing from one medium to the next and we ask what gets our audience to stop and get engaged Media that engage and create an immersive environment will be an important metricamp8221 The AMC experience as planned by the Magazine Publishers of America and American Society of Magazine Editors provided attendees with an immersive experience with several publishers outlining their most innovative initiative of the past year Womanamp8217s Day editor Jane Chesnutt outlined her magazineamp8217s new program incorporating technology developed by SnapNowcom enabling readers to snap cell phone photos of selected pages and send them to the magazine to receive a variety of special offers Redbook editor Stacy Morrison explained how the publication is embracing and engaging readers through cause related initiativesTiVo CEO Tom Rogers encouraged magazine editors and publishers to look toward innovation and to embrace the changes taking place across the media spectrum Through opportunities offered by companies such as TiVo he suggested magazines can reach television audiences and provide advertisers with multimedia marketing solutionsSeveral AMC panels and presentations focused on alternative revenue streams including digital event and database marketing research cause related initiatives and innovation Esquireamp8217s Oamp8217Malley argued that amp8220pundits have incorrectly framed the media landscape as print vs digital Why vs amp8220 he asks amp8220We have to move deeper into the video business via the clever interpretation of our contentamp8221Jack Myers is available to share his vision for the future of media advertising and marketing at your corporate meetings and events Contact jmjackmyerscom

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Magazines are Solution to Web’s "Cesspool of Disinformation," says Google’s Eric Schmidt

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Magazines are Solution to Web’s "Cesspool of Disinformation," says Google’s Eric Schmidt

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