15 Media Predictions for 2015

15 Media Predictions for 2015
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No reason, and it's not even the year-end. But here are 15 crunchy media things that could happen during 2015:

  1. BuzzFeed, eBay/Gumtree, Indeed, and Business Insider will launch free newspapers.
  2. Google will launch a scrape-free, ads-free subscription emails/ search service. Or Microsoft will do it with Bing/Outlook.
  3. Some of the world's major daily newspapers will go free. Others will reduce to Friday-Monday publication. Inspired by London Evening Standard, Metro, 20 Minutes, AM New York, and Australia's mX. Will UK's The Independent, the Daily Express or The Sunday People be next?
  4. Some major magazine brands will go free. Inspired by UK's Stylist, Time Out, and Hearst's TrendingNY.
  5. Simon Cowell will be involved in a new global entertainment network. His Sony contract expires in 2015.
  6. News Corp will launch a global news service online and in print. A combined UK-Australia-US operation? And a global The Sun?
  7. Time Inc will launch a Time-People-Sports-Fortune-Money global super site.
  8. Washington Post-Amazon will launch a global news service. Jeff Bezos is limbering up for a big splash.
  9. Many regional newspapers will go online-only. Linked to shopping offers.
  10. Network TV channels will launch web versions with interactive options. Otherwise, their viewers will continue to be distracted by Twitter.
  11. Some major books will be published for free download with sponsorship or advertising. Obviously.
  12. Facebook will buy BuzzFeed.
  13. LinkedIn will launch business (online) TV.
  14. Fox/ Sky will launch a rival to Vice News or buy it. After all.
  15. Financial Times will merge with Wall Street Journal.