From the digital revolution to the journalistic revolution

While media companies are eagerly investing in technology, they are cutting back on those who should be filling it with content. The majority of my media consumption is digital. To give you a rough idea, I read, listen to or watch 80 percent on my tablet, smartphone or laptop. So far, so pleasant. I don't have to go to the newsstand or library, nor do I have to go to the newsstand in the morning, the TV is gathering dust, the worn-out DAB radio doesn't need to be replaced, the only preference is still for paper books. Technology has permanently changed the lives of producers and consumers. However, when I look back at how much new content is available, the results are sobering. The technical media revolution is not a journalistic media revolution by day.

When technology comes first, it opens up a new world of possibilities. Companies buy one digital toy after another. The price is driven by hopes of contacts, advertising revenue and the sale of content and services. Most of the acquisitions turn out to be a bust. The great programs, the pretty gadgets remain a gimmick. Experience is being gathered about how the digital media industry works. There is only one thing that does not seem to make a lasting impression: no communication technology works without people who communicate for and with other people.

The successful few are aware that technology is only ever a means to an end. They focus on information and services, focus on the user experience and benefit from a product that is worth its price. In the publishing sector, these are subscriptions to world newspapers, but also regional titles that are aware of the fragile relationship of trust with their main customers. He who pays, commands - this also applies here. A promise made in a transaction must also be kept. It becomes difficult for those who cannot decide. On one platform, customers have to pay dearly for what they receive for free on another. Which app, which website I visit regularly, which communication providers I follow on social media is not a question of technology today, but of content.

The purpose is to produce inspiring texts, images and sounds. And even today, these are still produced by real people, not robots. Media companies must commit to combining digital acquisitions with investments in creative women and men. It would be best to double the number of staff in this area this year. That would be a first step towards a journalistic revolution.