The new(s) conquistadors
One of the (few) newspaper writers who grasps what's going on in the industry is Brier Dudley of the Seattle Times. His 3 May column, "Internet war plunder: ad riches" is a must-read because it manages to be both deadly serious and totally hilarious. After watching Google and Microsoft execs address the newspaper industry's top leaders at the American Society of Newspaper Editors conference in Seattle last month, Dudley wrote:
It was like watching the Incas greet the Spanish conquistadors in 1528 — the leaders of a proud, ancient civilization were dazzled by the technology of newcomers, who were coming to haul off their gold and silver.The galleons are coming for advertising that Internet companies are using to build their empires.
Google News product manager Nathan Stoll and Bill Gates played the part of priests who came along to enlighten the savages. "We're trying to be technologists who help publishing online be a better business model," Stoll said.
Newspaper baron Dean Singleton played the role of optimistic Incan nobleman, saying it will all work out if his people can get their hands on a musket. Or maybe cut a deal with the invaders.
"I see our industry coming together ... and putting together a national search engine that we own and dominate and run, or partnering with Yahoo! or Microsoft or even Google and letting them monetize our news and split the revenue with us," he said.
The newspaper industry is at a crossroads. It can resist change, or it can break free of the shackles of its medium. Paul Steiger of the Wall Stree Journal seems to get this.
