The printed newspapers have shown that they have a formidable capacity to reinvent themselves in this digital era by incorporating technological innovations to their online platforms to preserve and increase their audiences and, consequently, income.
The usage of tools and methods such as artificial intelligence supported by the big-data, offers of applications for entertainment and shopping, and the creation of new formats for videographic news and live broadcasts, are part of the weapons that the newspapers take advantage of to step into this stage of transformations.
When many thought that the printed platforms would be crushed by the digital, where the biggest impact can be felt in the reduction of ad revenues, newspapers have opted for content that goes deeper in detail and holds more quality and truthfulness, thus attracting more subscribers and partners.
And the reason why they’ve managed to attract more paying subscribers to their digital editions is because of the content they offer, also because of the prestige that these brands have earned during the long-term exercise of quality journalism, which turns them into a benchmark of credibility and fundamental pillars for democracy.
Those who read the emblematic brands’ digital sites, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, El Pais, The Guardian, The Washington Post, know for certain that they are consuming the highest quality and credible content, which would be harder to obtain from other, lesser-known, sites that lack this sort of seal, which is only forged through many years of impeccable professional journalism.
The Washington Post case is relevant. Acquired by Jeff Bezos, the Amazon mogul, it has become a technology hub for newspapers, creating very innovative and impactful technological applications to improve the positioning of the journalistic company. Similarly, The New York Times has invested a considerable amount of resources to grow its readership within social media.
These newspapers, like others of equal stature, have achieved millions of subscribers or followers, thanks to their effort of reinvention issued to not be left behind in this time of rapid changes in the world of communications.
With this, they demonstrate that they’re capable of facing the challenges of transformation, which has been the constant experience in every stage on which society introduces and assumes advanced technologies. That ability has also been demonstrated by radio and television, which, despite all the innovations that have emerged, are still at the forefront of serving all of humanity, that’s why they exist and are paradigms of mass communications.
– Translated from Spanish by Randy Rodriguez.
Director's Thoughts 