News Strategies for the Enterprise

Authors: Joanne Lustig, Vice President & Lead Analyst; Ned May, Director & Lead Analyst

This report provides recommendations and guidance for vendor portfolio managers and IM functions that are reassessing or revamping their enterprise news strategies. Outsell research shows that since 2005, an average of 73% of corporate and government IM functions have been delivering current awareness services to their organizational users. During these five years, the news landscape has shifted tremendously, driven by commoditization, changes in user habits, and the disruptive influence of user-generated information on the more traditional news channels. This report examines enterprise news delivery in light of changing user requirements, current economic pressures, and the evolving landscape of vendor offerings and solutions. It contains:

- The latest Outsell data on knowledge workers and information management functions in the enterprise;
- Qualitative research from our interviews with 10 vendor portfolio managers in the pharmaceutical, chemical, government, financial services, manufacturing, aerospace, and defense segments;
- Analysis of users’ views on free vs. for-a-fee information;
- A look at six options for buying enterprise news, including a table detailing their strengths and weaknesses, sample providers, and Outsell’s opinion about each option;
- A recap of Outsell’s defined process around portfolio management decisions, and Outsell’s recommendations specifically pertaining to news content;
- Implications for information managers and vendor portfolio managers.