The Senate Commerce Committee announced announced the lineup for their hearing about the future of journalism.  The list of speakers includes:

  • Senator Ben Cardin
  • Marissa Mayer – Vice President, Search Products and User Experience, Google
  • Alberto Ibarguen – President and Chief Executive Officer, The Knight Foundation
  • David Simon – Author, TV Producer and Former Newspaperman
  • Steve Coll – Former Managing Editor, The Washington Post
  • James Moroney – Publisher/CEO, The Dallas Morning News
  • Arianna Huffington – Co-Founder and Editor in Chief, The Huffington Post

There is, of course, one notable person missing from the list of speakers: ME.

I’m not suggesting that I should be invited to speak to the Committee (though that would be cool) — but I think the voice of the customer is missing. I read newspapers and magazines, watch network and cable news, listen to the radio, and more.  Sometimes I get my media fix online, other times its in print (or other offline formats).  For the stuff that I find really valuable, I have no problem paying.  For other stuff, I think the price point of nothing is just about right.

As I see it, the biggest challenge for the news industry today is that they are producing content that their audience isn’t willing to pay for anymore.  Most of the content is generalized, re-purposed, bland, or worse. The format for delivery, whether its online or offline, doesn’t matter.   If the customer doesn’t find the news worth paying for, the news industry is doomed. No business model, ad format, or government bailout will change that.

The Commerce Committee has assembled a good group of people to testify — including some friends of WeMedia.  But the voice of the customer is missing.  And you simply won’t hear the message that the quality of the content and focus of the media isn’t good enough from anyone who has one foot inside the industry’s door.

So, Senator Kerry and others on the Committee — pick me, choose me, ask me what the news industry needs to survive.  I will tell you.