Create an Account
username: password:
 
  MemeStreams Logo

MemeStreams Discussion

search


This page contains all of the posts and discussion on MemeStreams referencing the following web page: Big Media Mergers Raise Big Doubts. You can find discussions on MemeStreams as you surf the web, even if you aren't a MemeStreams member, using the Threads Bookmarklet.

Big Media Mergers Raise Big Doubts
by Jeremy at 7:16 am EDT, May 14, 2002

Is 'Synergy' Achievable -- or Even Desirable?

Executives of the media giants and some industry analysts insist that there is no systemic problem with large-scale media acquisitions and that it is too early to issue a meaningful report card on synergy. They say last year's advertising climate, the worst since World War II, has conspired with a recession to keep companies from achieving their goals; the jaw-dropping one-time charges on companies' balance sheets are merely the product of a change in accounting rules.

But the write-offs essentially reflect the fact that the companies paid too much for their acquisitions, based on overly optimistic expectations that the whole would be greater than the sum of the parts.

I think they're missing the point on advertising when they call it a "poor climate." The reality, at least in some media, is that the concept and practice of advertising have fundamentally changed. The notion is losing favor that customers will accept advertising in exchange for a "free" product. Given the choice, many customers will opt to pay for ad-free products. And if content providers don't have an ad-free offer, then going forward the content provider won't be able to reach those customers. The reality for advertisers is that those customers will become increasingly inaccessible to them.


 
 
Powered By Industrial Memetics