Desktop Search: A Rusty Anchor?
December 14, 2011
Perhaps the papers aren’t doomed after all. Online Media Daily reports, “Newspapers’ Mobile Traffic Surges.” Perhaps the move to mobile apps will save journalism. The article cites a report from the Newspaper Association of America. We learned from the write up:
More than 20 newspaper publishers found that page views for mobile content increased 65% in September, compared to the same month a year ago. Many papers reported triple-digit page view jumps across their mobile offerings, the NAA said. A Pew study also released in October found that users were more likely to trust apps that came from preferred news organizations.
But, is this paid content or free? Probably some of each. It’s in the advertising, though, that newspapers will reap the rewards of venturing into the mobile arena.
This sounds like good news for the papers, but I’m afraid the nature of mobile will cost us in accuracy; this is more evidence that search is officially smaller and less inviting for cross checking and validation.
We read the data differently. Desktop searching is a rusty boat anchor. What about in depth research? Mired in the muddy bottom we fear.
Cynthia Murrell, December 14, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com