Traditional media still more credible – PPI chief

WITH the growing trend of social media and digitization, regional papers are faced with the challenge to survive. But how are they planning to survive?

Members of the Philippine Press Institute, a national association of community papers, discussed the recent challenges and opportunities of the print media with the presence of the new media – the Internet.

Mark Cu Unijeng of Exotech Solutions, one of the speakers of the 18th National Press Forum, said that although Internet is giving the press a challenging era now, it is important that the traditional media should look at the opportunities beyond these challenges.

“The Internet age has given us a medium and increased the speed of information at a reduced cost but I don’t really see that newspapers will die. They will evolve like human beings,” Unijeng told a room full of publishers and editors of newspapers in the country.

Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Chairman and President Atty. Jesus Dureza said that the press has a greater advantage over social media where majority of the young people nowadays get their daily news.

“The press can retain its foothold as the primary source of information if it maintains its veracity, independence, and accuracy,” Dureza said.

He said traditional media has an edge in their credibility and that is what the press should bank on.

Most newspapers including community papers started to set up their own websites to keep up with demand and building audience is another thing.

Advertising consultant Aristotle Estrella said that most of the clients he met no longer want to place ads on traditional media.

Instead, they want to use the social media for free.

“Advertisers want to go on digital media because it is cheap and easy and results can be seen in real-time,” he said. Unijent, however, said creating advertorial revenue, community press must have a good working relationship with local businesses who want exposure to survive.

“Most local businesses who do not have the large brands and ad agencies are looking at you to provide advertorial solutions. It is about providing better values for your potential advertisers,” Unijeng said.

But Catherine Candano, Strategic Partnership Marketing of Google Southeast Asia, said there is an advantage if traditional media can collaborate with new media in increasing the web traffic.

“It’s okay if people go to Facebook and Twitter as long as they go back to the news sites to see if it’s true,” Candano said, sharing her experience with global broadcast giant, CNN.

Candano said traditional press must build their global audience and grow their readership by studying the audience and giving them the kind of news they want and build revenue generating techniques.