The Way of Life in the Age of Media Big Data

In the era of big data, the media's transformation and development are both technical and strategic issues. They will have a profound impact on the shape and pattern of the media in the future. After a year's momentum, the concept of “big data” has taken off.

How big is the fire of big data? Some media have called 2013 "big data first year." At present, almost all world-class Internet companies have extended their business reach to the big data industry; regardless of social platform competitions, e-commerce price wars, or portal competition, it has its shadow; last year, the U.S. government invested 200 million U.S. dollars to start “big "Data research and development plans" have even raised big data to the national strategic level. Big data is being turned into a social wave by technical hot words, affecting all aspects of social life.

In the era of big data, the media's transformation and development are both technical and strategic issues, and will have a far-reaching impact on the shape and pattern of the media in the future.

Data is the explosion of resources information to promote media transformation

Big data is not a new concept, but the era of big data is accompanied by explosive growth in information in recent years.

On the Internet, Sina Weibo users have more than 100 million blog posts every day. Baidu needs to process billions of search requests. Taobao's transactions amount to tens of millions of transactions. China Unicom's online users record 10TB a day.

The explosive growth of data volume has also brought about a revolution in data storage. "Today we spend less than $100 to buy a T storage, the cost is only 1% 10 years ago." Sun Baokai, chief technology officer of Microsoft Asia-Pacific R & D Group, said. In 2000, digital storage accounted for only 1/4 of global data. In 2007, only 7% of all data was stored in newspapers, books, pictures, etc., and the rest was all digital data.

"The essence of new media is data analysis. We have gone from the information age to the digital age and the smart age. If data is given to the background, it becomes information; if the data can be extracted, it is knowledge; if the data can help A variety of tools provide us with the right decisions based on analysis. It is a resource,” said Yin Minghua, president of the Liberation Daily newspaper group, at a recent China media conference.

In the era of big data, the connotation of information is not just news and other news, but a variety of data. This requires that the media must adapt to new ways of information production and dissemination, and use multiple media to assume the functions of information dissemination. Producing, analyzing, and interpreting data, and exploring a media development path that provides audiences and users with differentiated services and experiences will become an essential skill for media competition.

Tailor-made new ideas for the transformation and development of information media

Jiang Qiping, secretary-general of the Information Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: "The media through the integration and analysis of data, for different audience needs, to meet the needs of personalized and professional."

Tencent chief editor Chen Juhong said: “The homogeneity between portal websites and online media is very serious. The future media and portal websites should make full use of big data and relationship chains to screen and recommend the most suitable content for users. Provide near tailor-made news and information, and let them experience social media experience.”

From theory to practice, the development of big data provides a good opportunity for transformation of media and portal websites that have mastered a large number of data sources. In the past year, several large domestic Internet companies have adjusted their development strategies to welcome the arrival of the big data era.

Zhebao Group began investing in data analysis projects last year, focusing on the depth of data mining in the future social networks; Youku and potatoes merger, search platform can tap and calculate the browsing behavior data of more than 400 million video users; Sohu is setting out to build The cloud-based big data platform will fully integrate its data assets and acquire more than 900 million monthly users' data assets. Tencent has launched a new version of its home page and launched a cross-platform deep integration strategy for portals, Weibo, video, and wireless... ... With the promotion of new technologies such as cloud computing and mobile Internet, an enclosure movement on data is beginning to open on the Internet and competition is becoming fiercer.

Challenge is also an opportunity to win the initiative in the era of big data

The transformation and development of media in the era of big data need to combine their own characteristics and take a road of development that meets the laws of communication, conforms to their own reality, and meets the needs of the audience. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for the media.

Big data tests the media's strategic decision-making capabilities. Jiang Qiping said: “The rapid growth of data volume requires more investment in infrastructure such as bandwidth and storage devices, which has caused many media to fall into disrespect.” Without transformation, it will lose its initiative and be eliminated or marginalized; It is necessary to comprehensively reform the current report form and operating system. This will test the courage and wisdom of policymakers.

Another challenge facing the media in the era of big data is the lack of data processing capabilities. Experts pointed out that the current big data construction lacks specialized data analysis methods, use systems, and high-end professionals. Many media do not have specialized data management and analysis departments and experts. If the software fails to keep pace, it will not be easy for the media to develop in the data platform.

Some media are worried that in the era of transformation in the era of big data, will the media lose its way and become a consulting company or a social networking site?

In this regard, Sun Boyu said: “The existing investment, data, and values ​​of the old technology cannot be completely erased by new technologies, but they are integrated and integrated into new businesses to be developed at a higher level.” Media There should also be such a belief. Only by actively seeking the overall situation and focusing on the long-term can we win the initiative in the era of big data.