Conde Nast: evolving its business to be more digitally nimble

[Troy]

I think this is just another way of saying people don't read any more....

From an article I just read:

Condé Nast, which is in the process of evolving its business to be more digitally nimble, is following a similar path as its print rivals. This path includes combining jobs and using the budget to establish new streams of revenue. Most companies are building out their video and live events businesses, while adding e-commerce. Condé is no exception. While each magazine brand there is in charge of managing their own budgets and head counts, Condé is moving money and investing in  Condé Nast Entertainment and the  digital group. The transition has been described as a shifting of resources rather than a steep across-the-board cut like the company  instituted in 2014.

Read the entire article

 

[CDBurns]

No surprise here. Hell, ever I've started investing more time in video. It just makes sense. Even with the small amount of viewers I have the pennies are already rolling in. It just makes sense to monetize that way. Subscription is dead. I don't even understand how all of these companies packaging clothes and razors are earning investments on subscription platforms... then again I guess I know people don't like shopping at brick & mortars as much.

[Troy]

Well I'm at the age where I don't need to buy very much for myself anymore.  SO the only thing I really shop for is food.

Videos are good because you don't need as many brain cells to engage with the content.

However, our culture's focus on video and images on screens versus words on the page or even engaging each other directly, is our loss.  We need to use those brains cells...

[CDBurns]

I agree about engaging each other, that is a loss. I don't agree on the focus on video. I'm using a white board in my videos and they are more like lectures where you can take notes. I think it's all in the way you look at how the content is presented. I've got an average viewing time of 3-4 minutes which is longer than many people will stay and read my site. That's a good thing. Consider this, our culture's addiction to video stems from books. Most successful tv shows/movies were either books or graphic novels so the focus on video and images is actually keeping the book industry afloat in some instances. It's all about perspective.  I'm sure you could say for "other" books not for Black books, but I'm looking at the overall industry of video not just youtube vids. YouTube is an excellent place for content and I think the idea of focusing on the perceived loss of brain cells, is the wrong way to approach this. Had I launched a YouTube when I ran my CCB sports site, I'd probably still be running that website. It was a huge mistake on my part.  All of the content you have on books is perfect fodder for a video show. The more content you have the more it shows up in search and it enhances the site and creates another option for selling ads and marketing.

[Troy]

I believe more information is communicated through books than through video.

I think since people are learning something, through videos, that they are learned as much as they might if they also read.  

I'm not saying it is either or.  I'm think both great together.  But If I had to pick one method getting information it would be a book.  The culture has chosen video, I think that is to our detriment--and  that is really point.  I probably use Youtube more than any other website in terms of time spend (not counting dev time on AALBC.com)

Even on AALBC.com, the new site, in particular, I try to find a video for every page. I literally just created a page for MK Asante, I was already familiar with his memoir Buck, but I actually never met him or saw him speak, but the page together with the video was far more interesting than just looking at the book jacket and text alone: