This follow-up post is long overdue because the first few drafts each became chapter length discussions on the larger theme of this blog. So here's the short punchy version without too much detail:
The current business model for media enterprises is based upon the idea that more is better in alignment with the idea of the CPM. This approach worked wonders for many decades because everyone felt the same way.
The Era of Choice that began with new supply side dynamics of the digital environment changed this at the most fundamental level. Now, we feel the current recessionary psychology all around us as the marketplace is seeing demand for quality over quantity. This change is typical of a recessionary environment but the underlying cause, this time, is very different.