Hamburg -The editorial board member of German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt, Mr Jochen Gaugele said freeing internet media content was the biggest blunder to be ever made in the global media industry. The mistake could soon see thousands of newspapers world wide closing their doors due to lack of enough audience and strong financial support from readers and advertisers.
Speaking to international journalists from Africa and Asia in Hamburg this week, the veteran journalist said newspaper business is fast crumbling because people are now using new media technologies for latest information. Although some big media organisations are charging for internet content, Mr Gaugele said the money received from internet subscriptions is not enough to keep the media business running.
“Freeing internet content was the biggest mistake that was made,” said Mr Gaugele. He said newspapers are dying because people are getting free online news. In addition, he said it would be better if internet users were paying for the information they get on monthly basis.
Several newspapers in Europe including Hamburger Abendblatt one of Germany’s leading regional newspaper are facing difficult times to increase their readers.
“Even my newspaper is also a victim of this development,” he added. He said approximately 220. 000 people read Hamburger Abendblatt’s print version while about 2 million viewers visit the paper’s online edition on daily basis.
However, Mr Gaugele said news social media networks such as facebook, twitter and blogs were not a serious threat to professional media organizations. He said people do not trust news from sources of unchecked credibility.
“New social media networks are not a threat at all. Mature readers know where to get news every time. There is no way people can start relying on facebook and twitter for news because they would end up double checking information they get on these networks with what would be reported in mainstream media,” Mr Gaugele told journalists on Monday.
Mr Gaugele worked for various German newspapers that include the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Bild am Sonntag before he joined Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper in 2008. He also used to work as a guest media lecturer at the University of Leipzig.
