Hello. My name is Erik Martin and I am a freelance writer for EContent Magazine (
www.econtentmag.com). I am seeking to interview both U.S. and foreign digital publishers, content providers, and digital content analysts/experts for the following story topic:
CONTENT ABROAD: HOW NON-U.S. COMPANIES ARE BUILDING SUSTAINABLE CONTENT MODELS. Outside of the U.S., there are different rules for digital content. In Europe, Google is regulated far more strictly. In other places, the web content business is a virtual free-for-all. This story will explore how companies outside of the US (with a focus mostly on Europe, Asia and South America) are building sustainable content models, the challenges or advantages to being in a certain region, and what American publishers/content providers can learn from their peers abroad. Below is a list of questions I’m seeking answers to for this story. I can either do a phone interview or an email interview (whereby you send me written answers to my questions below that I can use as quotes in my story, which is often easier; written responses should be thorough and detailed, please). My deadline is noon central, Thursday, June 9. Please e-mail me back your interest and phone availability or your indication that you plan to email me typed up answers to these questions:
QUESTIONS:
1. In general, how is publishing digital content in countries outside of the U.S. different, especially in terms of regulations, restrictions and laws? Can you cite one or more examples?
2. Compared to publishing digitally in America, what are the major financial, regulatory, competitive, and censorship challenges to publishing digitally abroad (particularly in Europe or the region you represent) that can make it difficult to build a sustainable content model?
3. In specific, what digital publishing rules/regulations/guidelines are different outside of America (especially within the country/region you represent)? Are these rules stricter and more challenging, and how (e.g., is Google regulated far more stringently? How does Europe's The Right to be Forgotten ruling affect search engines/companies?) Are publishers censored more? Is monetization more heavily regulated/taxed)?
4. In a digital world where personalization rules, how do content companies overseas deal with privacy concerns?
5. What countries are you aware of where the web content business is a virtual free-for-all where there are practically no rules/regulations? Can you cite any examples of these countries as well as corresponding digital publishers who have it easy?
6. Are there any challenges or advantages to a digital publisher/content provider being located overseas in a certain region?
7. Whether the rules are harder or easier, how are these companies outside the U.S. able to build sustainable content models? What’s the secret to their ability to compete successfully?
8. What examples would you point to as overseas/foreign companies that are building sustainable digital content models?
9. What can American digital publishers/content providers learn from their counterparts abroad, and vice versa? What lessons/truths/success stories can they adopt?
10. Any other thoughts or comments you want to add?
11. What is your full name, title, company, and city/state location where you are based?