The future of media to be debated at Inspirefest 2016

23 Jun 2016

Kara Swisher of Recode (pictured) and News Corp's Raju Narisetti will discuss the current and future media landscape at Inspirefest 2016 next week

The media landscape is transforming by the day and traditional models of media and journalism are either disappearing or being transformed.

The implications of this will be discussed at next week’s Inspirefest by one of Silicon Valley’s most eminent journalists, Kara Swisher of Recode, and News Corp senior vice president Raju Narisetti.

This day next week I will be hosting a panel discussion with Swisher and Narisetti to discuss today’s media landscape.

The entire media landscape is in flux, with the internet and social media becoming the front page for many of today’s smartphone-toting consumers.

According to a recent report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 51pc of consumers now use social media as a source of news each week, with one in 10 citing it as their main source.

Television news still remains the most important source for older groups but overall TV usage is declining, being replaced by on-demand and binge-viewing of popular shows.

More than half of consumers use their smartphone as a main source of news while computer and tablet use is flattening out.

Not only that, but increasing numbers of consumers are using ad-blockers.

Amid this flux, long-serving newspapers are losing ground to new media titles like BuzzFeed.

But in all of this change lie opportunities to harness how news can be distributed via social media platforms from Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Snapchat.

Meet the experts

Swisher, who was also at Inspirfest in 2015, is the co-executive editor of Recode alongside Walt Mossberg and one of the most celebrated news journalists in Silicon Valley.

With Mossberg, over the last 11 years, she has been co-producing D: All Things Digital, a major high-tech conference with interviewees such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and many other leading players in the tech and media industries.

Previously, she worked as a reporter at The Washington Post. She is also the author of AOL.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads and Made Millions in the War for the Web, as well as its sequel, There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for a Digital Future.

Raju_Narisetti_News_corp

Raju Narisetti, senior vice president in charge of strategy at News Corp

Narisetti, SVP in charge of strategy at News Corp, began his career at The Economic Times in New Delhi. He was managing editor of The Washington Post  from 2009 to 2011. Teams he oversaw won three Pulitzer Prizes during his tenure.

Previous roles include managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network and deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. In the former role, he headed editorial teams and content strategy for WSJ.com, MarketWatch.com, WSJ Live video platforms, and Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch Radio Networks.

Today, Narisetti is primarily involved in new ventures and acquisitions that help drive digital growth and the ongoing reshaping of News Corp, through new companies or by expanding existing operating units.

Inspirefest is Silicon Republic’s international event connecting sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM. Book your tickets now to join us from 30 June to 2 July 2016 for fresh perspectives on leadership, innovation and diversity.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com