User generated content on the web is a phenomenon which has occurred only in the last couple of years. Internet users generate their own content and distribute it through weblogs, podcasts and wikis. They are now gaining more and more power and reach using new web 2.0 technologies to promote themselves through (social) networking and in online communities. Obviously traditional print media are facing a new competitor in the media market: the user. This thesis therefore asks the questions arising in the context how traditional print media and user generated content (UGC) interact:
Can UGC be a competitor to the traditional media?
The question is not if UGC will replace traditional media in near future but how the concepts of UGC could possibly compete or complement traditional media concepts.
Have media usage habits already changed in the face of UGC?
Right now it seems they have staid quite stable despite UGC. Nonetheless it is all the more important to look at the signs of change as this phenomenon is still in its initial stage.
Should traditional media players therefore implement UGC?
UGC seems likely to improve and transfer a brand image. It may give the traditional media players a new point of view of their target groups, attract new target groups and generate revenue through advertisement or by cutting costs.
All these questions will be considered in this thesis, using the relevant data and research to give a good overview over the developments in the print media industry facing UGC, also giving examples of the German print media market.
Table of Contents
1 The phenomenon of user generated content
2 Traditional print media value chains and business models
3 Relevant types of UGC in the print media sector
4 Assessment of UGC and print media – Is it a complement or a threat?
4.1 UGC and print media: Intermediary business models
4.2 Can UGC influence the print media usage habits?
4.3 Risks and chances in implementing UGC in print media
5 Print Media business models implementing UGC
6 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the interaction between traditional print media and user-generated content (UGC), specifically focusing on whether UGC serves as a complement or a threat to the German print media industry by analyzing business models and shifting user habits.
- The impact of UGC on traditional value chains and business models.
- An assessment of UGC applications like weblogs and wikis as potential market competitors.
- The influence of emerging Web 2.0 participation on traditional media usage habits.
- Strategic risks and opportunities for publishing houses to integrate UGC into their portfolios.
- Potential revenue and monetization models for combining print media with user-generated content.
Excerpt from the Book
1 The phenomenon of user generated content
Only minutes after the terrorist attacks on some of London's tube lines and buses on July the 7th 2005 the news of the cruel onslaughts was spread in the web: In hundreds of weblogs and podcasts the event was described or film scenes shot by eye witnesses were shown even before one professional journalist could have written a news report. Only when some of the thousands of eyewitnesses sent one of the 20 000 emails, 3000 SMS, 1000 pictures or 20 videos (Hitz 2006, p. 69) the BBC found out about the events, selected and filtered the news, took their journalists to the spot and generated traditional news. Therefore the question arises whether the user generated content of the eyewitnesses may even have substituted the news report of the BBC – many of the traditional medias users had got the information quicker and more direct via web 2.0 applications.
In this context this hypotheses seems adventurous but user generated content on the web is a phenomenon which has occurred only in the last couple of years using the new technologies of broadband internet access, mobile communication, mobile radio to generate their own content distributing it through weblogs, podcasts and wikis now gaining more and more power and reach using new web 2.0 technologies to promote themselves through (social) networking. Obviously traditional media are facing a new competitor in the media market: the user. This thesis will therefore ask the questions arising in the context how traditional print media and user generated content interact.
Summary of Chapters
1 The phenomenon of user generated content: This chapter introduces the rise of UGC as a disruptive force in media, sparked by real-time eyewitness reporting during major events, and defines the scope of the study within the German print media market.
2 Traditional print media value chains and business models: The chapter outlines the generic value creation processes for newspapers, journals, and books, establishing the baseline business models against which UGC is measured.
3 Relevant types of UGC in the print media sector: This section categorizes the most significant Web 2.0 tools, specifically weblogs, wikis, and RSS, and analyzes their functional attributes as potential competitors to print media.
4 Assessment of UGC and print media – Is it a complement or a threat?: This central chapter evaluates the competitive relationship, analyzing business models, the impact on usage habits, and the associated risks and opportunities for established publishers.
5 Print Media business models implementing UGC: The chapter explores how traditional publishers can monetize UGC through cost-cutting, advertising, or brand-strengthening strategies, using real-world examples to illustrate the practical challenges.
6 Conclusion: The paper summarizes that while UGC creates significant competitive pressure, a hybrid approach of integrating UGC into traditional brand portfolios offers the most promising strategy for the future.
Keywords
User generated content, UGC, Print media, Web 2.0, Weblogs, Wikis, Value chain, Disintermediation, Media usage, Business models, Digital transformation, Publishing, Monetization, Online journalism, Social networks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper investigates the dynamic between traditional print media and user-generated content (UGC), specifically exploring whether this new media form acts as a competitor or a complement in the German market.
Which types of user-generated content are analyzed?
The study primarily focuses on weblogs (blogs), wikis, and the supporting role of RSS technology as the most relevant Web 2.0 applications challenging traditional print media.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to determine if traditional publishers can remain relevant by adopting UGC concepts and how they can potentially generate revenue through these new interactive platforms.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this work?
The paper utilizes a business-economic approach, comparing the value chains of traditional publishing houses with the non-linear, user-driven nature of UGC, while also incorporating media consumption data.
What core topics are covered in the main section?
The main section discusses the transformation of intermediary business models, the shift in media usage habits among younger demographics, and the practical risks and opportunities of implementing UGC strategies.
How are the key terms for this research defined?
The paper utilizes the definition of print media by Ganz-Blättler and Süss, focusing on newspapers, journals, and books, while defining UGC as content created by consumers that fundamentally challenges traditional gatekeeping roles.
How does the "disintermediation" concept affect publishers?
The paper explains that as users begin to distribute their own content via the internet, the traditional role of the publisher as a gatekeeper of selection and aggregation is bypassed, necessitating a strategic shift for media houses.
Why are book publishing houses less affected than periodical publishers?
The study notes that books are often merit goods where the author is the primary selling point and the content is less suited for real-time aggregation by feedreaders, making them less prone to direct displacement by current UGC models.
- Citation du texte
- Ina Fuchshuber (Auteur), 2007, User generated content - complement or threat to the print media industry?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/80256
