In its 2004 Information and Communications White Paper, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications described the evolution of digital information using terms frequently used in newspapers, such as "multimedia," "Internet," and "ubiquitous." The paper defined the ubiquitous network society as "a society in which various services are provided to anyone, anytime, anywhere, and with anyone connected to a network, enriching people's lives." Interviewed about "media digital strategies," Yves Bougon, President and CEO of Hearst Fujingaho, began by talking about how, anticipating the arrival of today's ubiquitous network society, he launched ELLE ONLINE in 1996, ahead of his competitors, marking the first step in digitalization. ■ Aiming to Transform into a Digital Company That Also Publishes Magazines

Nearly 20 years later, at a business briefing held at the end of 2015, Bougon quoted the CEO of Hearst Magazines in the US, saying, "We aim to transform into a digital company that also publishes magazines," declaring a shift from a print-based publishing business to a digital-based one.

When asked what he meant by this statement, Bougon replied, "Since 2010, our company has been optimizing our organization as a publisher for a new era, building our infrastructure, developing digital-compatible products, and transforming our employees' mindsets to transition from a print-based business model to a digital-based one. We're still evolving, but we're gradually seeing results." The opening remarks, featuring several terms not used in print publications, highlight the changing times. ■ Strengthening Employee Digital Literacy Through Educational Programs

Hearst Fujingaho became part of the Hearst US media conglomerate in 2011 from Hachette Fujingaho, but even before that, the company had been gradually implementing employee education programs to strengthen digital literacy.

"The high editing skills of our print editors are a company asset. Furthermore, our staff, who joined the company after the digitalization era and have been adept at using PCs and smartphones since birth, are adept at communicating in the digital space, including using social media. However, the success of ELLE ONLINE over the years has helped foster a digital mindset among our employees. Furthermore, 25% of our employees are now digital natives in their 20s and early 30s," says Bougon.

The percentage of digital natives is expected to increase, not decrease, in the future. For publishers, hiring new graduates is difficult, with many only open to those with at least three years of experience. In the future, even those in their early 20s will likely be able to join the company if they possess a high level of digital literacy. Look forward to our second Cosmopolitan article featuring these so-called digital natives.

■ Establishing an infrastructure for editors to optimize content

Developing infrastructure in tandem with staff expansion ensures consistent quality and increased convenience. This not only delivers the services users desire, but also raises employee awareness. The Hearst Group has developed its own content management system (CMS), "Media OS," to strengthen the group's network. This CMS supports editors in optimizing content and enables content sharing worldwide. This system allows editors to instantly identify popular articles and, if an article from overseas is likely to interest Japanese readers, to be used internationally. This system offers a sense of speed unique to the internet age. "Media OS" also introduces new advertising products. Because Hearst uses a system that's common worldwide, a single advertising campaign could potentially span borders and even media.

When asked about the idea of transcending barriers, Bougon replied, "In the digital world, alliances between companies are not uncommon, and I think they'll become more prevalent among publishers in the future."

One example of this alliance concept is the sales consignment method, in which books are distributed using another company's sales network. Hearst Fujingaho currently has an agreement with Kodansha to consign sales to them. While this type of alliance has existed for some time and is not uncommon, starting with a sales partnership, the two companies have fostered a relationship of mutual trust and are now expanding in new ways. The editorial departments of Kodansha's digital content magazine "MiMore" and Hearst Fujingaho's "ELLE SHOP" discovered a strong affinity between their users, sparking the idea of "Let's work together," which led to a collaboration between two companies in the same industry.
It's been 25 years since Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1991, and a paradigm shift has been steadily underway during this time. After interviewing Mr. Bougon, I was reminded that the surge of a new era brought about by digitalization is driving the evolution of publishers into digital companies, and that the era of digital natives, in which we can enjoy the excitement of things that were previously unthinkable, is upon us.
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*Mindset = a way of looking at things. A way of thinking that serves as the basis for making decisions and taking action.
*Digital literacy = the basic ability to use the internet effectively
*Digital natives = a generation that grew up in an era where computers and the internet were available from the time they were students. This applies to those born around 1980 onwards.



--"Considering the future of media: The style of Cosmopolitan, a media outlet aimed at digital natives -- Hearst Fujingahosha 2/3: Yokoi Yuri"


--"Considering the future of media: The cases of ELLE Shop and Mimore teaming up with competitors -- Hearst Fujingahosha 3/3: Yokoi Yuri"