MediaNews Group has made the latest in a series of announcements by major newspaper publishers that they are going to start charging for their online content. News Corp. was one of the first to make such an announcement, at which time CEO Rupert Murdoch declared, "The current days of the internet will soon be over." He, along with the rest of the news industry, seems to see this economic downturn as the last reason he needs to try something different when it comes to making money.

We live in very interesting times. Just as the initial popularity of television was seen as a threat to the radio industry, so now all traditional media are struggling to discover how they and the internet can peacefully and profitably coexist. If you listen to the news, it sounds like no one really believes that newspapers could ever completely "go away." But what will the compromises and innovations needed for them to stay viable look like? Sounds like we'll all have to stay tuned to find out. And maybe pay, too.

While they are the most visible example, newspapers are certainly not the only industry in transition. Brands are constantly reinventing themselves to survive. Some do it very well (e.g. Apple, in the late 1990s). Some leave us wondering what they were thinking (e.g. Tropicana, see below!). Toying with your brand is a task best handled by an ad agency, and even better handled by a good one. We're a good one. We've helped banks, realtors, cafes, colleges, and supermarkets rebrand themselves, each and time with truly wondrous results. Really.

Will "the current days of [insert your industry here] soon be over?" Contact us at to the right to find out how Meyer & Wallis can help.