Local news cut in half, not-for-profit funding models emerging, reports say
OTTAWA — The number of articles generated by community newspapers in Canada has declined by almost half over the last decade, and many news organizations are trending toward not-for-profit business models to make up for a dramatic decline in advertising revenues, two studies to be released Tuesday reveal.
News coverage of local councils and other democratic institutions was down by more than one-third from 10 years ago, said a report from the Public Policy Forum called “Mind The Gaps — Quantifying The Decline of News Coverage in Canada,” which studied articles appearing in community papers across five regions of the country.
CHRONICAL HERALD
Global spending on digital marketing nears $100 billion: study
Spending on digital marketing grew by 44 percent last year in the United States and Britain to $52 billion, a study has found, estimating that global outlays on such tactics are approaching $100 billion.
In contrast to placing online ads through intermediaries, digital marketing, or “martech”, has the appeal of enabling brands to target consumers directly via social media, search-engine optimization or voice-activated assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa.
YAHOO NEWS
Physician, Disrupt Thyself
If I were a senior executive in healthcare, it would scare the hell out of me to learn that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway fame, and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon formed an independent company “free from profit-making incentives and constraints” to provide “simplified, high-quality and transparent healthcare at a reasonable cost” to a million or so of their U.S. employees. The fact that the CEOs chose surgeon and author Atul Gawande — an outspoken critic of the healthcare industry’s practices — to lead it wouldn’t settle my nerves. The news might even be jarring enough to induce me to read Vijay Govindarajan and Ravi Ramamurti’s Reverse Innovation in Health Care. Although that might prove cold comfort indeed.
STRATEGY-BUSINESS
4 Key Strategies To Create a Future-Proof Digital Bank
Deploying a digital-first banking platform is not only now possible but mandatory for financial institutions of all sizes. To compete effectively in the future, every bank and credit union must understand the four facets of a digital platform strategy — omnichannel capability, modular structure, open API architecture, and smart technologies.
THE FINANCIAL BRAND
Customer Experience And Engagement Fuels The Most Progressive Digital Transformation Strategies
The extent and effect of digital transformation is measured by the sum of its parts. But if you peel back the layers of many prominent case studies, you’ll realize a couple of things. First, the term “digital transformation” often means different things depending on scope and intent. Second, initiatives are often focused on the “digital transformation of…,” a discrete effort or group (the parts), not necessarily larger parts of the enterprise (the sum). However, in my research, I’ve repeatedly observed that when organizations concentrate on customer experience and engagement, digital transformation may start among the parts, but it ultimately winds up reshaping the entire organization.
FORBES
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Unveils New Digital Strategy For Businesses: ‘Tech Intensity’
CLOUD WARS — Doubling down on his belief that Microsoft must help customers become world-class software creators themselves, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today showcased several innovative customers embracing “tech intensity” to innovate and grow in today’s high-intensity digital economy.
FORBES
