In the latest Advertising Age magazine Media 100, released on Monday, the structural changes in media become apparent.
As a media, newspapers ranked fourth, accounting for 10.4 percent of media revenue. Two decades ago, its slice of the pie was 35.9 percent.
There are winners, however, as well as losers: Digital, revenue, up 10.8 percent; cable-networks, up 10.6 percent; newspapers, down 6.8 percent. Newspaper revenue dropped $2.3 billion. Google’s gain wasn’t that far behind newspaper’s loss at $1.9 billion.
And, oh yes, the Media 100 is trailing information. It’s based on 2007 revenues. In the newspaper industry, at least, 2007 looks in hindsight to be a summer walk in the park with a rain shower compared to a brutal wintry 2008.
“Their position in a listing is the least of their problems,” said Lauren Rich Fine, a longtime newspaper analyst for Merrill Lynch, who know teaches at Kent State.
And if you look at the changing job picture from 2002 and last year, it’s hard to argue against her point.
Here’s how some of the media companies with significant presence in Knoxville rank: 2nd, (same as the year before) Comcast; 14th, (down from 12th) Gannett (WBIR); 16th, (down from 15th) Charter Communications; 34th, (first year) Scripps Networks; 41st, (up from 42nd) Lamar Advertising (billboards); 47th, (down from 43rd) E.W. Scripps (KNS Media Group, including the Knoxville News Sentinel); 48th, (down from 46th) Citadel Broadcasting Corp. (radio stations), and 75th (down from 66th) Journal Communications (radio stations here).
(Chart from Ad Age)