媒體的典範適應:從平面到數位化 美國華爾街日報的商業模式

Abstract

二○○八年開始，美國平面媒體遭逢前所未有的危機，報紙方面，除了有五家有名望的報紙集團申請破產保護，其他則是在營運上採取脫售、轉賣、減少發行與發行天數、取消紙本印刷改為網路版本的做法，內部則是大量裁員、減薪以降低成本，卻依然無法避免虧損的命運。雜誌方面，獲利一樣困難。 平面媒體不僅面臨短期的經濟不景氣，又遭逢長期的典範適應問題，首要肇因是來自於替代品的威脅＿數位化。數位化的應用顛覆了讀者吸收新聞資訊的方式，但是背後的商業模式卻未發展成熟，無法支持新聞機構的生存，不論平面媒體營收或是廣告公司的營收，數位事業的營收仍在二○％以下。 本論文運用的哈佛大學商學院教授麥可•波特的競爭優勢理論，以五力分析架構，檢視替代品的威脅、新進入者的挑戰、購買者（讀者、廣告客戶）的相對談判力、供應商的變化、以及既有競爭者之間的競爭消長。重要的發現是平面媒體處於相對談判弱勢的位置。同時以五力分析檢視美國媒體進軍數位事業的佈局與談判力，也發現平面媒體公司相對於四大廣告公司代理商與三大科技服務公司，數位事業的技術、能力與擴展也是相對較弱。 同時以豐富的二級資料分析二○○九年美國雜誌的數位化行動，歸納出四大行動方向，包括一、異業結盟，聯合手機與社群媒體擴大影響力與品牌佔有率。二、發展網路收費模式，以差別取價的方式，區隔消費群或差異化服務。三、善用網路行銷，成為第一大的訂閱管道。四、整合性廣告，將平面與數位讀者整合為一個社群，並銷售整合性廣告。 在新競爭者的威脅中，意想不到Google已經是網路廣告的最大獲利者與獨佔者，是一個站穩競爭優勢的挑戰者，因此今年爆發了科技新貴Google與媒體大亨們的激烈爭辯。媒體大亨以產業聯合會的集體力量，迫使Google談判，並在法規上或政治場上施壓。但是最終仍發現，問題是在於媒體如何證明自身在網路廣告的效益，並發展一套成熟的商業模式。 在最後的案例分析，深入拜訪《華爾街日報》的前後任高階主管，了解他們的成功模式。相對於其他平面媒體，《華爾街日報》以波特所定義的「廣泛性目標的差異化策略」，建立相對於產業競爭者的競爭優勢，並在價值鏈上深化核心能力，使得它的營收、獲利高於產業平均。

America’s print media has been facing the unprecedented crisis since 2008. In the newspaper’s sector, in addition to five prestigious newspaper companies filed bankruptcy; the others took actions in business operation, such as sold, resold, reduced the volume and days of circulation, and substituted print edition for digital one; on the other hand, they laid off work force and decreased employees’ salaries to cut costs. However, most companies still reported big loss. As for magazine sector, it’s hard to make profits in the moment, too. America’s print media has to deal with not only short-term economic recession, but also long-term paradigm adaptation caused by digitalization. Digital application has subverted the way readers acquire news and information; however, the business model isn’t so mature as to be able to sustain news corporations. The proportion of digital revenues in print media and advertising agencies is still under 20%. This thesis applies the “Competitive Advantage” theory developed by Michael E. Porter, the professor of Harvard Business School. It uses Mr. Porter’s “Five forces analysis” framework to examine the threat of substitute products, the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of customers (readers and advertisers), the bargaining power of suppliers, and competitive rivalry within an industry. The key finding is that America’s print media stands in a weak bargaining position among the other forces. At the same time, in the analysis of American media’s plan and power in digital business, the thesis reveals a crucial truth: the technologies development and operation expansion of digital business in five major U.S. media companies are inferior to the top four advertising agencies and the big three portals and search companies. Moreover, this thesis makes use of abundant secondary materials to analyze American magazines’ digital actions in 2009. It brings forth four major trends. First, Ally with Other Industries. Magazines ally with mobile companies and community media to extend their influences and the mind-share of brands. Second, Develop An On-line Payment Model. They use price discrimination to charge different prices according to customer segments or differential services. Third, Take Advantage of Internet Marketing. Internet channel has become the biggest one for subscription. Forth, Sell Integrated Advertisement. Magazines start to integrate print and online readers as a whole community and sell the integrated advertisement. Among the threats from new entrants, Google has unexpectedly become the biggest reaper and monopolizer. As a new challenger, Google builds its unique competitive advantage, and therefore results in the severe conflict between Google and media businessmen. Media businessman or executives unify the newspaper league to force Google into negotiation and continuously put pressure on Google in the legal and political field. However, print media eventually realize that the key problem is how to prove their effectiveness in online advertising and develop a mature business model. In the end chapter of the case study, I had visited and interviewed the former and current CEOs of The Wall Street Journal to find out the factors of their success. Compared with other print media companies, The Wall Street Journal has developed the “Large Niche” strategy, which can be illustrated by Porter’s genetic strategies “Differentiation Strategy on a Broad Target Scope”, then establishes a higher competitive advantage than other rivalry and strengthens its core competences in the value chain, so that it can make better revenue and profit than the industry average level.