Jeff Bezos has thrown down the gauntlet to the newsprint
world and is acquiring the Washington Post for $250million.
The questions as to why and what he intends to do with the
newspaper are speculation today but the news itself is a significant step to
expand Amazon’s reach to all and potentially change the way newsprint operates.
Does this mean Bezos intends to be the new Murdoch and build
a media empire? Probably but we would suggest that unlike Murdoch he will not
need to buy up the individual presses but merely exploit and expand the one he
now has and build a brand that is local, international and importantly
individual and this could also involve classifieds and further complimentary purchases.
Forget the rhetoric that will prevail over the next few days,
the move is a significant one when you view it alongside his portfolio of
offers and his ability to effectively cross subsidise services and offer
bundles of books, films, audio, music, technology, marketplace, community and delivery
services etc on a truly global manner. Amazon was built on a global brand,
vision and offer and that is what differentiated them from many pretenders in
many of their propositions.
It is easy to envisage Amazon Singles now expanding in a logical
and different direction and this was evident with their latest news piece last
week. Their ability to customise the news alongside your tastes and interests
in other things, your location and serve them up over Whispernet and their
cloud services is formidable and not one that others will easily replicate. However
the interesting thing is that Bezos steps in and buys the basics unlike his
main competitors who merely offer a marketplace to all. It is this commitment to
get involved in the core business that truly differentiates him from the
others.
It is going to be an interesting time for newsprint, journalists and classifieds and one
where many will now have to look over their shoulders and watch change as it
happens.
image David McNew/Getty Images
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