Too cumbersome to pay for journalism – journalist

Unfortunately, the media houses’ payment just another example of how technology can be a brake and threatening for income model if not used wisely.

We have seen the same in most contexts in which IT has been introduced to streamline information, production, distribution or payment.

Of course it is not the technology itself that is the problem but the people who implement it, especially when technology is set to solve problems that are not ripe, or that is in step with the rest of the organization and / or community / market.

As a consultant and journalist with media technology as a specialty in many years I have both been jointly responsible for premature solutions and seen up close how productivity and economy can fail when the technology is set to resolve major tasks for early and when the human factor is behind with the technology (or vice versa ).

Also the digital design agency Netlife Research is concerned that it is too difficult for people to buy editorial content. There you can read about here: – The media are digging their own grave with complicated payment

When we only had newspapers on paper, we had the same interface for all to subscribe. Certainly, we had to obtain forward one phone number for each subscription (but it was usually easy, with mailbox full of flyers who asked us to call), but a quick phone was enough that the newspaper came at the door immediately afterward. Giro payment, possibly via bank worked fine – especially if we managed to count us through KID-numbers.

Purchased we newspapers in counter, we got the present in the same outlets, and the interface was payment at checkout. For more exotic newspapers we might have to Narvesen at the train station. This was relatively easy to use technology, it was slow, but was understood by most people, and not least – it was designed to make it easy to buy and pay, and to please, do not fret.

This is where digital media have failed, and I shall in this section ignore the setbacks and advances the digital medium itself has been through.

To purchase a digital newspaper, we must have a computer ( Step 1), sign us in (Step 2), find the subscription address (step 3), fill in a form reminiscent of the first page of the tax return (step 4), locate the code chip or code card for online banking (step 5), enter the password online bank (step 6), fill out payment information on bank card (step 7), wait for the response to fill numbers from the code chip / token (step 8), and often wait for email with a link to verify the email address (step 9). It is also the exception being able to buy a single newspaper let alone an article.

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date that we constantly have to sign us in again, remembering passwords and usernames, and occasionally find that we still can not access. For something we already paid for. We’ve purchased access to a service, not on a specific computer or mobile, but the service itself.

Yet we must go around with log data available, and if we are gods forbid change computers or mobile or upgrade the software on it, then slams media companies often even punishes us with new login procedures.

What to do with mistrust readers who know they have paid, could possibly Franz Kafka explained us, if he had lived long enough to experience the digital media miracle. When the newspaper was a call away, it was never mistrust that greeted us, but friendly and service willing customer service representatives who always robbed us the burden and solve the problems on the newspaper’s behalf.

For my own part, I can add that even for us digital enthusiasts who are raving about the night about the opportunities technology offers, are incentives to renounce printed newspaper absent.

Later we for a moment as if digital media form and content in itself is problematic, as is still the relationship with major customers – readers – strained. For several years now, readers learned that there are those who must bear the costs for poor and low-use technology, and weak customer service.

What’s worse is, readers have learned that there are advertisers who are media primary customers, not readers. As secondary clients, we disloyal, demanding and little willing to pay. Finally, it is media themselves who must pay for this.

Sadly, it is more willing to work and skilled journalists than ever that could make the digital media and style you significant and exciting than ever before in history.