To save the media, not editors, but "product managers."

Everyone is puzzled and worried about the future of the media industry.

Even as the successful transformation of the media, such as Lin Chu, shouted "I love the new media age", but for more media people, still can't see the future, and worse than this is the media people have not seen the media itself.

What is the media itself? The popular saying can provide a platform for the dissemination of information can be called the media. and the continuous iteration of technology drives the media itself to take two kinds of profound changes: one is to carry the information dissemination of the media accelerated change, now is not only from the media into the network, but almost completely to the mobile terminal as the carrier of the new media, the other is the message of the receiver has changed. Once upon a time, our readers were just readers, and now our readers are accelerating to become the communicators of information, or they can be defined as media.

These two kinds of changes cross ferment, let the most traditional media is in great disorder. But think about it, is there any certainty in the future? is the change so scary? is the nature of the media subversive?

I think a sober media person can at least see the following: First, the media's nature has not changed, still is the media of information dissemination, even if it is from the media. Second, the media audience has not changed, or the Earth people. Third, the media demand itself has not changed, I remember two years ago, "first Financial weekly," The editor-in-chief of the high school students have a clear conclusion: any time human beings will have information needs.

What exactly is the problem?

I think the root of the problem is that the traditional business model of the media is facing serious challenges but few people really think about it. Now we see many media spread through the latest channels and media, but still want to use the most traditional business model to achieve profitability. This may be related to the reality of the media's less emphasis on profitability. However, in the final analysis of the media to survive, survival needs to fight in the market, want to win the fight on the need for killer products. It is clear that the common pattern of information transmission is no more lethal.

Who can tell me what kind of products our media should produce?

In the past, we are most likely to rely on the profit model is the distribution and advertising, some good media can do activities, public relations, the development of some clubs and so on, but today, these models have been hit by the top of the blow. Because the core profit model--distribution and advertising--was overturned. and the emphasis on "content is king" found not so spiritual. Most media people's initial industry confidence and self-esteem no longer exist, a vicious circle.

Therefore, the core question is whether the products produced by the media meet the needs of new channels, new media and new markets. Traditional media rely on channels and information monopoly to obtain circulation and authority, and then sales of advertising. Now is flat, the transmission of information is instantaneous seamless, in this case, the only way out is the core of the media products themselves. What is the most irreplaceable value you offer to the market?

Some people say, today most Internet companies are also introduced through the flow of the game, and then, such as Tencent, NetEase and even Sohu, this and the media advertising model is different? I would like to say that there is not only a difference, but also a big difference. The game itself is a mature and strong demand for entertainment attributes. But the advertisement itself is the market demand, not the user's demand, unless you turn the advertisement into the user is also the consumer's demand. Moreover, the above several companies are the best place is the core products to do well, this premise to hold on, only later results. Otherwise, what would happen if you had three companies defined as gaming companies? (a bit far away)

Therefore, the media at present most need to work on the "premise", to understand the core products of the new period, and can think clearly, the practitioner itself. This goes back to the title of this article: "Product Manager" is not an editor but a journalist who can save the media today. In other words, our editors need to have product managers thinking, when the channel advantage is no longer, you can win the user, it is only the value of the information itself. (I am personally very confident in the finer-grained content products of the subdivision area)

There are some very important worries. Is that our editors are accustomed to the traditional "critical thinking" but rarely train "constructive thinking". Why are product managers so big in the past few years? Because product managers are not only the people who find problems, but also the people who are good at solving problems. Therefore, the context of media people is "exposing the problem, criticizing the world", the context of product managers is "to solve problems, change the world." If you have more contact with the media, you will find that hostility is full, and with the product manager, what you feel is more hope.

I know the media industry's own problems are thousands, but I still feel that the transformation of the practitioners themselves is the fundamental way out. When the media practitioners can solve the user problem mentality, your article, cover, title, including ads can help users more to solve the problem, I think the media spring is not far away.

What is the product thinking that editors need? Very simple, such as you are an editor, you sent an article, you want to restore will be thousands of users of the reading situation, how much time does he have to read the information in a day? What is the environment in which most users look at information? What are their own information-receiving capabilities? Do they have other platforms? Is there an interactive function that can provide some of the same kind of readers? In short, try to provide them with the best reading experience. In this respect, I also have a small example to everyone, a certain stock investment community will edit, press post, renamed as "analyst", not only looks more professional, but also closer to the user mentality, the practitioner itself is also a kind of expectations and incentives. So, does a lot of business management media have the guts to turn your editor-in-chief into a lead researcher?

In the final analysis, change needs to be close to reality, whether it's the traditional media, or the new media (today's new media is not a few decent), all need to rethink, your editor, your core staff, is really turned into a closer user, more care about the user experience of the "Product manager." If this has not changed, no matter how good the channel and platform, the media will have no future.