As it is the age of information and high-tech intensive, traditional media outlets, like the print media, are encountering difficulties in handling cut-throat competitions with the broadcasting and online subscription media industries.
As such, they face a push risk out of market. They also suffer anxiety of losing public attention, according to scholars. Dilla University Lecturer, Abera Wondwoson tells the Ethiopian Herald that risk management is demanded to ensure the survival of print media outlets. Such management is exigent in a bid to establish a mediaconvergence trend, which sustain publishing products simultaneously utilizing online platform.
He added that utilizing highdefinition technology and equipping itself with modern organizational structure are critical to scale-up and advance more the print media industry for the betterment of information flow and societal benefits. As we are in information age, for the sake of improving their lifestyle and satisfying their curiosity, the people could access and grab information and other valuable tips easily through communicating themselves by using online platform, Abera stated.
As to him, the electronics mainstream and social media have the leverage to win the rule of the game by accessing pop-up and high-tech tools, visual effects and other feature elements in order to easily catching public attention and interest. Bringing into play flexible website and content with infotainment storytelling are being crucial to win the hearts of the traditional media outlets’ target audiences and to extend its life span for the next competitive rounds, he reaffirmed.
“Facing situational constraints and hurdles in this modern age of survival of the fittest, the Ethiopian print media seem in a tight corner, because of having broadcasting media outlets which speed up the information influx in the blink of an eye,’’ he notes. Adding: ‘‘The western traditional media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal and New York Times newspapers, opt to conquer time and information inflows by deploying high-tech online services provision.
They do in alignment with eye-catching displays. Thus, the Ethiopian media should scale up such best practices.’’ Abera pointed out print media could survive by analyzing issues related with democratic cores, introducing online accessibility, conducting institutional adjustment, promoting professional journalistic values and engaging in technology advancement.
These are critical toolbars to ensure the traditional media existence. For his part, student of Journalism and Mass Communication and Print Media Journalist, Belay Andungna said that as the governmental media belongs to the public; the government should use it for addressing public problems instead of propagating political agenda and interest of the ruling party.
Due to the fierce competition in media industry, the government media and their employees are being reluctant in serving the public by broadcasting content matter in engrossing as well as attractive ways, according to Belay. He pointed out that in order to achieve goals of modernizing the media industry, media digitalization is among the issues in the must-do list for the furtherance of the traditional media. It should give due concern in reshuffling the quality of content – dilating on issues and choosing different angles— and upholding online promotional advertising and sponsorship.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 10/2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
