On the note of TNS releasing the news of the tremendous growth online media advertising market saw through 2007, I would like to praise and applause for this thing we’re so used to: the Web. C’mon y’all, stand up! That’s what I’m talking bout.

Ad market is surely reflecting what the masses chew on - an increase by 81%, for Latvia sounds just amazing. Still amongst the lowest in terms of turnover though the web is soon to get its key rivals - outdoor and radio. Mags, papers and TV are leading the race but the pattern is clearly seen, internet based media are taking the advertising market by storm.

Facing the aftermath of BarCamp Baltics 2008, I start to turn more and more in the direction of getting schooled about New Media and experience exchange seems vital like ain’t never else. My eye was caught by the upcoming conference on e-marketing which is to take place here in Riga on March 12. Hosted by originally Estonian altex marketing and named “More than a banner: The future of internet marketing in Latvia” the self-dubbed Emarketing!1 (E!1) promises to be a pretty interesting event. But these are emotions right here. The facts are available on altex home page. Since they happen to be hookin’ me up with a free admission for this, I will surely try to be there and grab some precious knowledge.

Anyways, my late night message to y’all is like, Latvian online media are developing quicker than you can manage to follow. Blogs are born and banners become old-school. Plenty of proof around that the show is underway and I ain’t the one to sit back, relax and just enjoy it, believe me. I am actively taking part in propelling the whole movement. Yikes.

What’s been up?

I have been traveling to our Lil’ Switzerland and back all week long, but I know I should come in here and post. Thanks for staying on the line!

Today, I wanna point your attention to comments on the war between internet and printed media that been showing up here and there as of late. After listening to one radio show I thought, I can’t let this issue untouched.

Radio Baltcom aired Wednesday how Vice Prez of Latvian Press Publishers Association Guntars Licis spoke for newspapers, truly protecting them. Sure, his optimism is alright, but he sounded like underestimating the web and it just made me smile.

“One thing doesn’t disturb another”, says Mr. Licis at the time when sales and the number of subscribers of Latvian tabloids are getting critically low. On the other hand, subscribers to RSS feeds of not only news portals but also blogs, steadily rise from day to day. And obviously citizen journalism and blogging perform the analysis task, which is to be done by press. Therefore, they act as evident competitors of printed media.

Not to even mention the task of delivering news, which newspapers are long not the source of - internet, radio, TV, without a doubt, bring the message to masses quick and easy.

I ain’t gonna be too sceptical though, I admit that prints have their own niche today. But this niche is becoming way smaller as internet develops. Icluding the regions - where the web is growing at rapid pace.

Guntars Licis agrees that “newspapers are read mostly by older generation and mid-age people, younger people somehow use the internet more”. “This is part of our culture and part of people’s habits, part of thinking”.

That’s what I’m saying, Mr. Licis!!! Today’s youngsters are going to be the same mid-age people by tomorrow, with own culture, habits and thinking. And going to “somehow use the internet more”…

Anyways, we’ll see. The only thing clear is that newspapers need to tightly secure their positions by printing reliable analysis, reports straight from events, interviews with key players in a field audience is interested in. And, of course, actively fight for a piece of an online pie.

Last bot not least, the Press Publishers Association should surely carefully observe the trends and head in the right direction, for not to end up broke and pity.

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