Content Models vs. Business Models

The print newspaper industry executives have gathered in Chicago. What is striking is that their mis-understanding of the Internet is abyssal. They put the emphasis on the second leg of any good Internet business model (selling something), but they completely miss out about the first leg (giving away something for free thanks to the search engines). I agree with Mike Masnik that they are digging their own grave —the only exception being the Wall Street Journal.

Addendum

- “Models to Monetize Content” is the general theme, with the following sessions:

1. Fair Syndication Consortium/Attributor;
2. Journalism Online: Presentation on proposed service to charge for access to newspaper content and to license that content to online aggregators;
3. Aggregating User Data: Collecting enhanced online newspaper user data across newspaper properties and mining that data to aggressively sell target content to specific audience segments across the network (e.g. golf enthusiasts);
4. Discussion About Content Models;
5. Decline in Classified Advertising;