Publishers contemplating cost-cutting steps for their interactive units should consider that a talented group can wring value from dormant data. They should remember that the majority of users view the 'Net as a global grab-bag of tools. Ninety percent of the Internet's U.S. home users go online to find information or conduct research, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City. The development of interactive applications will lead to increased usage and loyalty, says Rusty Coats, director of new media at MORI Research in Minneapolis. Advertisers, of course, demand a high-quality, engaged audience.
Some applications lend themselves to sponsorship.
The implications are greater than ad sales. They affect production. Work patterns will change as print editorial assistants learn to enter information such as calendar lists and sports statistics. Tools for feeding and managing the database information to print and online production systems must be purchased. Copyright 2001, Newspaper Association of America.