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eCounsel group

A boutique firm with unparalleled expertise in business and technology. We have good command of industrial ecology and legal practice, and have undertaken highly regarded cases. Because the small business scope, we pay more emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency, and choose clients with deliberation. The managing partner not only has extensive experiences in various legal issues more over than 20 years, but invests and manages several technology companies. In addition, he always checks each case rigorously. Clients’ business objectives are our primary focus. To achieve the same in the most cost-effective fashion trumps all seemingly sophisticated legal discussions.

Digital Media Business Model : Advertising or Patronage ?

2016 - 10 - 13

A well-written, 3000 words new report with a unique point of view versus a fluff shared fanatically on social media, which has a higher value?


一篇編採俱佳、有獨立觀點的3000字報導,和一篇社群瘋轉,賺飽點擊的農場文,哪篇價值比較高?Rocket Cafe的這篇文章,試圖解釋現今媒體業中,新聞價值與廣告價值的不對等關係,並提出讓兩者連動的解決方案。

(以下摘錄自連結之本文)

美國廣告市場中由程式化購買的比例將達到73%,年成長率高達44%;而這些幫新聞內容出價的程式,根本無法分辨新聞內容是嚴謹的調查報告,還是根本就是瞎掰的!

所以結論就是:這個市場並不鼓勵獨家新聞,也不鼓勵傳統新聞學中努力跑新聞這件事。

如何讓新聞價值與廣告價值連動?

每一則從內容管理系統(CMS)中刊出的文章,都要附加一組精確的內容品質「標示」(也可以是標籤),以區分出調查報導和綜合報導、深度剖析或是簡短的描述等等。這些標示或標籤要能反應出參與內容產生的人數,並且能為廣告伺服器解讀,讓機器理解文章的獨特價值,提升廣告售價。

我們的簡單評論:目標值得鼓勵,作法需要調整。

所有朋友們都知道,我們對true journalism之敬重。然而,這篇,作者搞錯了方向。在文化領域裡的某些內容,其價值(用傳統的觀點判斷)確實高於其他內容(就像我們不必浪費口水討論,古典樂和流行樂的價值孰高孰低一樣)。但是,廣告版位在透過自動程式化購買時,平台對「所謂高價值」的內容下tag,然後讓那兒的廣告售價升高?

從「下廣告」,到「文化贊助」

它必須從單純的「下廣告」,昇格至「文化贊助 cultural sponsorship」的思惟層次;畢竟,那顯然不是單次點擊或千次露出的價格能算得了的東西。假設全站每月PV上千萬、而該篇高價值文章的PV只有一千,若僅單純從數學算,那篇文章的版位只能為平台貢獻萬分之一的營收。但是,倘若有品牌主願意基於自身形象、公益、或社會參與之角度,獨家贊助當月、該文章(或專欄)之版位,其所貢獻之營收亦可能跳升千倍甚至萬倍。但這樣的贊助者,會願意讓 “Sugardaddy” 這種包養媒合服務透過程式化購買,與其共享該版位的讀者目光嗎?

廣告和文化贊助之訴求對象與銷售邏輯是不同的,請再想想吧。

再看更深一點點,若某個新媒體裡,動輒夾雜農場等級之文章與高價值文章的,能是什麼等級的新媒體?即便那個平台免費,相信許多讀者也絕不可能沒事上去逛:在Facebook上看到該平台的文章分享,即是內容不錯,因為平台文章良莠不齊,可能連點都不會點。

所以講回來,那招,基本上行不通。

極小化的訂閱媒體

如果是我們來辦報,帶著有傳統浪漫新聞人之情懷的團隊,想推「高價值」的文章,那就一定會先從極小化的媒體(發行頻率可以先從weekly做起,未必需要daily)做起,繼續走原始「訂閱+廣告」的路。發行了一百多年的WSJ華爾街日報目前有二百多萬付費訂戶、其數位訂戶近半、訂閱收入平均每戶每月破台幣千元、數位及印刷版本之廣告亦稱穩定,已是當代奇蹟;然而,其母公司News Corp.仍無法自外於當前之大趨勢:〔傳統高價值媒體式微〕,其目前市值僅不過80億美金。就連Snapchat這種鬼東西在IPO時都等於三個News Corp.,所以論收入、論內容之價值, 意義有很大嗎?

這社會上有很多帶著浪漫、崇高之心境,從事各種志業的人,他們只求有尊嚴地活下去,而不求聞達於諸侯。找出對的路,我們會真心相挺。

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