The day has arrived.  You have the opportunity to build a viable industry again.

General world news and published opinion have become commodities. Anyone can publish to the Web. The traditional standard of presentation — print — is dying.

Stock photography is a commodity now that everyone has a digital camera to create good images and our traditional form of presentation — film — has died.

Both photography and publishing  have suffered similar declines.  We are not alone. Many industries have fallen victim to new technology.

We can both benefit from a new direction in publishing. The revolution and opportunity are here  if you take it seriously.

First, I have a question: Why are 50,000 eyeballs in print worth more than 80,000 eyeballs online?  Chances are you are charging for the printed product because it costs more. Are the print ads more effective for your advertisers?  Maybe the ads look better, but it’s hard to cultivate good data on the quality of success other than general assumptions based on sales.

Online ads are cheap in comparison and the data is much stronger. Advertisements and their locations can be adjusted quickly based on the success of published content.

Soon, products such as the Apple iPad will be available to consumers. These new products are innovative, interactive entertainment and information centers. Delivery systems similar to iTunes are being developed for publishers that will allow people to subscribe to your publication.

Will they subscribe?

If you continue down the path of  cutting writers, photographers and designers to make margins, you are doomed. If you continue the practice of  slapping anything between the ads to keep short-term investors’ profits in line, you are doomed.

If a photographer wishes to stay in business today, he has to invest more time, knowledge and money into the products and services he produces.  Photographers need more than the right equipment. Photographers must be highly creative to survive. So do you.

Once the new technology and infrastructure are in place, you must wow your consumer with incredible and unique information.  The layout and design of your publications must be spectacular. The writing needs to be top-notch. The images have to be amazing.

People will not continue to buy average on a monthly or annual basis.  This opportunity is available to local and international publishers. Now is the time to plan. Let the new horse race begin. Make it about creativity and innovation — not about how much can you cut to survive another year. Get ahead of the curve. Invest and prepare to make a profit again.

Rosh