Information Renaissance - in the form of Content Aggregators
The usage of digital repurposing by content aggregators is one of the examples of Information Rennaissance. Before going into content aggregators, let me start with the definition of the word “Content”. It is simply a buzzword for information. All Web sites contain some kind of content. It can exist in many forms, such as text, audio, video, photos, charts, databases, or other information that can be digitized.
A content aggregator is an individual or organization that gathers web content from different online sources for repurposing (reuse or resale). Content aggregators also provide filtered, relevant content in the form of news or articles and may deliver it to a qualified audience. The audience can decide on how to use these contents.
There are two kinds of content aggregators:
(1) who gather material from various sources for their Web sites, and
(2) who gather and distribute content to suit customer's needs. I will be concentrating on the latter process which is called “syndication”. (Content Aggregator, 2007)
Syndication:
Syndication is a process of repurposing the material and integration with other material through a paid service subscription. For example: Take the case of newspapers – contents like news, comics, horoscopes and crossword puzzles are usually syndicated content. They receive the content from the content providers, reformat it, mix it with other copy, print and publish it. Today syndication in web has become one of the main features of print media. Lot of information is circulated across the Web. Reuters, for example, provides online news content to over 900 Web sites. (Syndication, 2007).
Online content syndication is a growing industry sector, in terms of hardware and software development. In the early days, this syndication was a tough process. When there was an agreement between the supplier and their customers, the customers used to copy the desired content from the supplier's Web site and paste it into their own. These activities were done manually. With the development of electronic content syndication could automate every aspect of online content syndication. The industry which was built on online syndication needed to standardize data exchange mechanism and metadata vocabulary (an identifier) because suppliers and subscribers were often using different and incompatible technologies.
Traditional Business Model to New Aggregation Model:
Traditional business models for commercial electronic content aggregation are now challenged by individuals and institutions equipped with powerful content technologies. They see the traditional models being out of touch with their needs for complex content integration. New technologies and content technologies are challenging these old business models. The New model is a boon for commercial electronic content aggregation services that requires content and technology suppliers to focus on product and service development in attributes of content aggregation that suit the needs of customers to participate aggressively in the content production, aggregation and distribution process. With today’s institutions and individuals equipped with powerful content technologies and universal network connectivity, commercial content aggregators face an array of new challenges and opportunities that require aggregators, publishers and the institutions that they serve to rethink how they can face the future of content monetization effectively. In this new model, profits flow to those suppliers that can optimize specific variables of the content aggregation model which allows client to select the technology to their will. This era has become more customer-oriented. Those who see the customer’s requirements and create technology which suites their needs will survive in the market. (New Aggregation, 2007)
Key Factors Driving the Rise of Web Content Aggregators: (Key factors, 2007)
• Demand for business-to-business content: The customer interests plays a major role. They should come back to the web time to time for keeping the business running.
• Anyone can publish content for the Web: This medium is available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection.
• Traditional journalists are migrating to this New Media: They see a lot of growth potential in this area.
• Syndication: Web content aggregators play a major role in seeting up a collaborative network.
• Variety of content formats: Various formats like XML, HTML and wireless networks are on demand and they help in integrating them into a common platform.
• Broadband content: Availability of distributing content, which features video and sound is growing.
• New Business Models: To support free content, increase the audience, taking care of old and new content providers are playing an important role in creating new business models.
Web Content Aggregators and their Competition:
Moving content from content partners through the content aggregators and to the customers is a strategic process. Providing online content is big business, and it will remain a big business as long as web surfers continue to come back to them for more good online information and can choose the content they want. Due to the demand for business-to-business content on Web sites Web content aggregators have the economic relationships, infrastructure, business models, and momentum that may attract many companies struggling with the content needs of intranets and portals. They could emerge as big winners in the online content licensing business. They survive only by reaching a broader audience through syndication opportunities, providing a wider variety of content and introducing new business models. The content aggregators use proprietary software to distribute content to their customers and combine that content directly into the customer's web site or they can host the software on their own servers and link them to their customer’s' Web sites.
The following table shows the competitive comparison between top three web content aggregators and an idea of the current situation in market. This table is made based on the data collected from (Key factors, 2007) and (Content Aggregator, 2007)
Hope these information were useful to you all. Finally I feel that Information renaissance is unavoidable. Even if you like it or not, you have to live with it.
REFERENCES:
(Content Aggregator, 2007). Smart Computing Articles. Retrieved November 14, 2007, from Content Aggregators Give (& Sell) The Gift Of Knowledge Web site: http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0502/38r02/38r02.asp&guid
(Key factors, 2007). New Web Site Content Options from New Content Aggregators. Retrieved November 14, 2007, from Key Factors Driving the Rise of Web Content Aggregators Web site: http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/jul00/funke.htm
(New Aggregation, 2007). New Aggregation: Models for success. Retrieved November 14, 2007, from Research Report Web site: http://shore.com/research/current/reports/SCI200404.html
(Syndication, 2007). What is syndication?. Retrieved November 14, 2007, from Syndication Web site: http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid26_gci498311,00.html