The document discusses UOL, a Brazilian online media company and the largest internet portal and content provider in Brazil. UOL was launched in 1996 and provides journalism, sports, entertainment and other services online. It has over 800 employees and 1,000 content channels. UOL's main shareholder is Folha, a major Brazilian newspaper, which owns 41.93% of UOL shares. While Folha and UOL have separate newsrooms, they collaborate on content sharing and some journalists contribute to both. UOL has over 17 million unique visitors monthly and is the top online advertising company in Brazil. The document examines UOL's business models and achievements but also raises questions about maintaining revenue streams and the impact of the financial crisis.
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Strecker
1. 10th International Symposium
on Online Journalism
Diverse business models in
online journalism – are we
trying hard enough?
The University of Texas at Austin
April 17-18, 2009
Márion Strecker, UOL Content Director
2. • Brazilian company
• Main shareholders: Folha (major newspaper -
41.93% total shares), Portugal Telecom (29%)
• Launched in April, 1996
• Content, services & internet access provider
• Journalism, sports, entertainment & services
• + 1,000 content channels
• + 800 employees
• + 135 people in the newsroom
• + 800 content partnerships (magazines,
newspapers, publishing houses, internet
companies, content providers, celebrities etc.)
• First: create the audience
• Second: try to monetize it
Are we trying hard enough?
3. UOL & Folha relationship
• Different companies; separated
newsrooms
• Folha is the main shareholder of UOL
• Folha is also a content partner of UOL
• All the Folha’s sites are under the
umbrella of UOL
• Folha “sells” headlines to UOL
homepage as any other content partner
• Some of Folha’s columnists have blogs,
TV programs or other kind of
collaboration with UOL
• Folha newspaper sells 311,287
copies per day
• Folha’s circulation is stable; last
year grew 2,87% over 2007
• Folha de S.Paulo site (online
version of the paper edition)
attracts near 700,000 home
unique visitors per month
• Folha Online (real time updated)
attracts near 3,4 million home
unique visitors per month
Sources: IVC 2008 & Ibope NetRatings March
2009
4. • Folha Online is free and ad supported
• Folha de S.Paulo site (the newspaper of the day and all the archives) is just for UOL and
Folha subscribers
• Same business model since 1996
UOL & Folha relationship
6. Achievements
• # 1 portal content in audience in Brazil*
• 17.086 MM unique visitors (home market)*
• 1.960 BI page views*
• 1.312 BI minutes spent*
• + 1.83 MM paying subscribers
• Break even since 2003
• First in online advertising in Brazil
* Ibope Netrating March 2009
Are we trying hard enough?
7. Some doubts
• For how long the access subscription income will
remain so important for UOL
• How fast the advertising income will increase
• How fast the products & services income will
increase
• How hard and how long will be the financial crisis
impact in Brazil
Are we trying hard enough?
8. My convictions
About business models:
• Try, try and try!
• Measure and keep calm
• Avoid erratic movements (ex. changing subscription model to
free content model and step back again)
• Don’t make a rush for conclusions
• Think about charging someone else
• Think about charging for something else
About journalism:
• Better let journalists do journalism than business
• Better maintain a healthy distance between the newsroom and
the sales department
• Hurting credibility doesn’t seem a good way to be
contemporary!
Are we trying hard enough?
