June 29, 2009 — Individuated news products take leap forward

WASHINGTON — The future — as well as the current — direction of individualized news came under the microscope last week as proponents gathered at The Washington Times to discuss the concept at the third annual Individuated News Conference.
The meeting, backed by MediaNews Group and The Times, examined ventures already under way, but also took a close look at the potential challenges faced by media organizations as they evaluate the delivery of hyper-customized news and information.
“It’s the media franchise of the future,” said Peter Vandevanter, MNG’s vice president of targeted products.
Vandevanter highlighted the contrast between last year’s conference, which was largely based on concepts, and this year’s meeting, which boasted five individuated products in the marketplace.
Among those products: MNG’s I-News; The Washington Times’ customized newsweekly; the Knight Foundation’s Printcasting; PersonalNews in Switzerland and Time Inc.’s mine magazine.
“By the end of [last year’s conference] we were debating whether the first individuated news products would be printed on a digital press, or on a home printer — and as I remember it, the group was divided about 50-50,” Vandevanter said. “This year we start with actual products to show and discuss — real market-tested products. And two of them are printed on toner-based digital presses, one on an inkjet press and one on a home printer. So we were all right last year.”
There are no “wrong answers” when it comes to individuated newspapers, Vandevanter said, because products can inhabit any platform, including e-readers, PDAs and PCs.
“Individuated news is platform-agnostic, let’s be clear about that,” he said. “As long as the platform is digital.”
The INC was co-sponsored by Acrisoft, Océ and News & Tech.
Visit http://www.newsandtech.com/NewsonDemand0709.pdf to see our special supplement covering the event. The supplement, News On Demand, will also be included in the July issue of News & Tech.