Yeah, the header of this blog post is very cliche, but honestly, it's the best description I can offer for this nonsense (The Atlanta Journal Constitution released/unveiled its redesigned newspaper today.)
What year is this?
It is 2009, right?
And we're still talking about and throwing resources behind redesigning the hard copy of the newspaper?
That is disappointing to say the least, disturbing to put it frankly.
Some of the highlighted features and touted new benefits of the redesign include, news that's "easy to find", being able to "navigate to the information you want with color-coded sections, at-a-glance headlines and consistent, clear organization," "more color," and a different type font.
Whoa! Let's not get all crazy with the innovation here, guys. (Creative Loafing Atlanta sees my point.)
....but seriously, I'll cut the sarcasm there and just say..."Wow, that's too bad."
And, I'm not sure if this makes this situation ironic or just additionally unfortunate, but the AJC even went as far as to make a kind of infomercial about the redesign a few days ago. View it, and commentary about it by Creative Loafing Atlanta, here.
*sigh*
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
First 100 Days gets dizzying amount of coverage
I agree with Spencer Green. As he stated in his Huffington Post piece: "First 100 Days" coverage can lead to physical ailments....I'll spare you the phrasing he uses. (lol) But PLEASE check it out. Hilarious.
As of this morning at 9:33, Google showed 109 million search results for "First 100 Days" and a Google news search showed 43,000 results.
Mind-boggling.
Still, some news outlets are doing some fairly creative multi-media productions of President Obama's First 100 days.
One of the more interesting approaches would have to be this one by The Los Angeles Times.
"A week before the 2008 election, we asked commuters what they expected from the new president. Here are their initial thoughts and their current views. Times editorial page editor Jim Newton puts the first 100 days in perspective."
It's a little old school -- it's got the Man-on-the-Street vibe to it -- as well as digital and I think I like it.
As of this morning at 9:33, Google showed 109 million search results for "First 100 Days" and a Google news search showed 43,000 results.
Mind-boggling.
Still, some news outlets are doing some fairly creative multi-media productions of President Obama's First 100 days.
One of the more interesting approaches would have to be this one by The Los Angeles Times.
"A week before the 2008 election, we asked commuters what they expected from the new president. Here are their initial thoughts and their current views. Times editorial page editor Jim Newton puts the first 100 days in perspective."
It's a little old school -- it's got the Man-on-the-Street vibe to it -- as well as digital and I think I like it.
Nossip Potpurri: Part III
- The Facts: Sun-Times Media Group Inc. cut an undisclosed number of jobs late this week as part of the newspaper company's effort to trim payroll costs by 15 percent, according to an internal memo obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
My opinion: I hate to sound uneducated here, but simply put, this is totally uncool.
First and foremost it's a shame that Sun-Times Media Group Inc. is cutting more jobs. Secondly, not disclosing the number of jobs it's cutting goes against what media is supposed to stand for: full disclosure. Not cool. Not cool at all.
- The Facts: Look for Gains in 2010, Says RTNDA Survey Director
"Jobs in local television news dropped by 4.3 percent and salaries dropped by 4.4 percent last year. At the same time, stations set a record for the amount of news on the air while the net number of stations originating news declined by only 4 in the past 16 months," the Radio-Television News Directors Association reported on Sunday.
My opinion: While this is not necessarily a Phoenix rising kind of story, it is quasi-encouraging. Hey, things could always be worse.
- Her Opinion: Amy Goodman: Celebrate dissent, diversity
Pacifica Radio, the oldest independent media network in the United States, turns 60 this week as a deepening crisis engulfs mainstream media. Journalists are being laid off by the hundreds, even thousands. Venerable newspapers are being abruptly shuttered. Digital technology is changing the rules, disrupting whole industries. Commercial media are losing audience and advertising. People are exploring new models for media, including nonprofit journalism.
My opinon: It's funny how quickly people forget history. Clearly, this shows that advocacy journalism and independent sources of information and independent media outlets have been around for a while and can have longevity. With all of the panic over the Digital Age and the doubt that indy journalists have a chance, it's good to read pieces like this.
My opinion: I hate to sound uneducated here, but simply put, this is totally uncool.
First and foremost it's a shame that Sun-Times Media Group Inc. is cutting more jobs. Secondly, not disclosing the number of jobs it's cutting goes against what media is supposed to stand for: full disclosure. Not cool. Not cool at all.
- The Facts: Look for Gains in 2010, Says RTNDA Survey Director
"Jobs in local television news dropped by 4.3 percent and salaries dropped by 4.4 percent last year. At the same time, stations set a record for the amount of news on the air while the net number of stations originating news declined by only 4 in the past 16 months," the Radio-Television News Directors Association reported on Sunday.
My opinion: While this is not necessarily a Phoenix rising kind of story, it is quasi-encouraging. Hey, things could always be worse.
- Her Opinion: Amy Goodman: Celebrate dissent, diversity
Pacifica Radio, the oldest independent media network in the United States, turns 60 this week as a deepening crisis engulfs mainstream media. Journalists are being laid off by the hundreds, even thousands. Venerable newspapers are being abruptly shuttered. Digital technology is changing the rules, disrupting whole industries. Commercial media are losing audience and advertising. People are exploring new models for media, including nonprofit journalism.
My opinon: It's funny how quickly people forget history. Clearly, this shows that advocacy journalism and independent sources of information and independent media outlets have been around for a while and can have longevity. With all of the panic over the Digital Age and the doubt that indy journalists have a chance, it's good to read pieces like this.
"And the Pulitzer Prize for Tweeting goes to..."
So the Twitter talk, and talk of Twitter practically never stops.
Oprah tweeted her first tweet and the Web went crazy.
Ashton Kucher and CNN had a Twitter follower face-off.
Just this week Facebook opened its system to third-party developers, allowing them to build Facebook applications that will let users post status updates, share pictures and links, and interact with most other elements of the site without ever visiting Facebook.com. (Some say it's Facebook's way of trying to be like Twitter. Others disagree on the technological spat.)
Microsoft is even trying to be in with the "in crowd", announcing this week a public test of a Twitter-like notification service.
And I must be a bit clairvoyant because apparently people ARE using Twitter to track the Swine Flu outbreak. (An idea that I discussed a few months ago in a class presentation at USC regarding health epidemics and the use of Twitter.)
With the Pulitzer Prize winners being announced last week, this little cartoon came to mind.
It just might be a glimpse into the future.
Never say never.
Oprah tweeted her first tweet and the Web went crazy.
Ashton Kucher and CNN had a Twitter follower face-off.
Just this week Facebook opened its system to third-party developers, allowing them to build Facebook applications that will let users post status updates, share pictures and links, and interact with most other elements of the site without ever visiting Facebook.com. (Some say it's Facebook's way of trying to be like Twitter. Others disagree on the technological spat.)
Microsoft is even trying to be in with the "in crowd", announcing this week a public test of a Twitter-like notification service.
And I must be a bit clairvoyant because apparently people ARE using Twitter to track the Swine Flu outbreak. (An idea that I discussed a few months ago in a class presentation at USC regarding health epidemics and the use of Twitter.)
With the Pulitzer Prize winners being announced last week, this little cartoon came to mind.
It just might be a glimpse into the future.
Never say never.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Scholarly databases becoming collateral damage in Media Wars
Who'd have thunk it?
Databases like LexisNexis are also feeling the pinch as the Digital Media War rages on.
With shrinking staffs and less legacy news being produced databases that rely on original material from newspapers are practically starving for material.
But the databases themselves are to share in the blame for their emaciated state.
As papers began to cut back, databases did little to nothing to find other sources of news to archive and continued to exclude wire reports (and, as we've been learning in class, even wire services have been cutting back.)
A set of scholars even concluded that a Google search uncovers just about twice the number of sources that LexisNexis produces for a given topic.
Funny, I never took the time to think that databases were also on this sinking ship of an industry.
But this does go to support a hypothesis of mine: Google is some sort of info god.
Databases like LexisNexis are also feeling the pinch as the Digital Media War rages on.
With shrinking staffs and less legacy news being produced databases that rely on original material from newspapers are practically starving for material.
But the databases themselves are to share in the blame for their emaciated state.
As papers began to cut back, databases did little to nothing to find other sources of news to archive and continued to exclude wire reports (and, as we've been learning in class, even wire services have been cutting back.)
A set of scholars even concluded that a Google search uncovers just about twice the number of sources that LexisNexis produces for a given topic.
Funny, I never took the time to think that databases were also on this sinking ship of an industry.
But this does go to support a hypothesis of mine: Google is some sort of info god.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Beyond sad...
Apparently, a "higher-up" at the Associated Press didn't know that the organization had a YouTube channel and recently gave a country radio station in Tennessee a cease and desist order regarding its contents.
Will someone please knock the AP in the head with a common sense stick A-SAP!?!
Will someone please knock the AP in the head with a common sense stick A-SAP!?!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Still useful....I guess.
I honestly don't even know how I stumbled upon this story (and just in case you're wondering, no, I didn't use Stumbleupon.com or whatever)
This, I guess, is kind of a glimmer on the possible silver lining that exists around the dark cloud of newspaper journalism.
The Commercial Appeal in Memphis has uncovered a financial scandal that involves the FBI, a Christmas party and the city's mayor, Willie Herenton.
I'd qualify this as a big deal.
And guess what? The Commercial Appeal is the ONLY news outlet with the information.
The story has dissiminated to at least three or so other news media, but the Commerical Appeal is the only news source credited as being the originator of the information.
I'm not sure if that's a bad, good or great thing. One one hand it's a SCORE! for the home team.
On the other hand, it kind of shows that, in terms of the big head and long tail form of journalism, that the tail's not really up to much which shows that newspapers ARE still the main source for news which would then mean that they have a reason for living.....
...but then again, this is just one story.
*shrug*
This, I guess, is kind of a glimmer on the possible silver lining that exists around the dark cloud of newspaper journalism.
The Commercial Appeal in Memphis has uncovered a financial scandal that involves the FBI, a Christmas party and the city's mayor, Willie Herenton.
I'd qualify this as a big deal.
And guess what? The Commercial Appeal is the ONLY news outlet with the information.
The story has dissiminated to at least three or so other news media, but the Commerical Appeal is the only news source credited as being the originator of the information.
I'm not sure if that's a bad, good or great thing. One one hand it's a SCORE! for the home team.
On the other hand, it kind of shows that, in terms of the big head and long tail form of journalism, that the tail's not really up to much which shows that newspapers ARE still the main source for news which would then mean that they have a reason for living.....
...but then again, this is just one story.
*shrug*
Murdoch: Pimpin' Papers is Preferable
First let me say that I find the above cartoon completely hilarious....and oh, so, so, so sad.
But, on to the blog!
News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch was recently quoted as saying that U.S. newspapers need to begin charging for online content if they wish to survive.
Sorry Ru, but in my opinion, it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too late for this.
To support my point, let me tell a quick story: I was sitting next to one of my journalism professors in a digital media workshop on Friday when, in reference to blogging and other types of on-line indy journalism, he said, "I just can't get used to the idea of giving it away for free. I mean, we're not even whoring it out. We're total sluts."
It's a beautiful analogy.
Changing to charging for newspaper content at this point, is pointless and won't work.
To bring it to the gutter a bit more, let me pose a question: How in the world are we going to go from being total sluts to being top-notch call girls? As good as our "content" might be, most people are not going to start paying for it when they've been getting it for free for oh so long.
Still, Murdoch, the King of Media, is trying to rouse a rebellion against search engines
Questioning whether the newspaper industry should continue to allow online news aggregators, like Google, to aggregate newspaper content without being compensated for it, Murdoch basically said "Hell No!" at a recent cable news industry gathering.
Seriously Ru?....can they?
I doubt it.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
I'm still not hopeful. And, I'm not the only one.
My own mother sent me this little gem in the mail the other day.
If you're having trouble seeing it, click here for a larger image.
And this comment about the cartoon is priceless: "The news is very grave folks!
The Mourning News: we’re in tomb with the times..."
It definitely brings the LOL's.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
New Blood, New Life, New Media: The Youth Are Speaking
Didn't I tell y'all that journalism will find a way to survive?
Case in point: YouthRadio.org
Here, young people -- tweens, teens and twenty-somethings -- are finding their voice and broadcasting it online.
They pitch stories to National Public Radio and sometimes they get on.
But honestly, isn't viral more vital for the future?
In it's recently released The State of the News Media annual report on American Journalism, the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism calls audio "well suited to the digital transition."
Covering stories that I don't think anyone but they could cover correctly -- from police shootings in Oakland, to black market junk food at schools with healthy food policies -- the youth are speaking.
Thank God.
An Interview with True Black Television
A 16-year-old from rural North Carolina thinks he can change the course of television targeted at blacks in America.
His name is Tevan Savage and he's already making moves with his own online network called True Black Television. Check it out on Youtube.
He talked with me via email. Find his interview below.
Nossip: Where does your passion about "quality black programming" come from?
Tevan Savage: "Well, I was a big fan of UPN. ...But, then in 2006, they merged with The WB, I knew what was happening, but could not stop it. Then, when The CW came, my area got MyNet and I was without the few shows left. I was a big fan of "Girlfriends" because it reminded me of "Living Single," so I tried hard to see The CW. But, in 2008, they cancelled it. I am now able to get The CW and I see them trying to ax of "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game."
Once they are gone, what do we as black people have to represent us?
It is a shame that BET and TV One say that they are here to entertain us, but we have relied on those white-owned networks for our entertainment. So, on June 25, 2008, I had the idea. I mapped out where I want to go with this, then on June 29, I launched True Black Television on YouTube.
Tevan Savage: "Well, I was a big fan of UPN. ...But, then in 2006, they merged with The WB, I knew what was happening, but could not stop it. Then, when The CW came, my area got MyNet and I was without the few shows left. I was a big fan of "Girlfriends" because it reminded me of "Living Single," so I tried hard to see The CW. But, in 2008, they cancelled it. I am now able to get The CW and I see them trying to ax of "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game."
Once they are gone, what do we as black people have to represent us?
It is a shame that BET and TV One say that they are here to entertain us, but we have relied on those white-owned networks for our entertainment. So, on June 25, 2008, I had the idea. I mapped out where I want to go with this, then on June 29, I launched True Black Television on YouTube.
N: Why did you pick the Internet as an outlet for TrueBlackTelevision?
TS: "Running a channel on cable, satellite, or broadcast would cost millions a month. I only make a few hundred dollars a month, so YouTube was my only choice.
N: How do you feel black media such as BET, TVOne, Ebony, Essence, Vibe, Jet, and black newspapers are using the Internet these days?
TS: "Well, BET (Black Entertainment Television) is using the internet as an extention of the network itself. If you missed an episode of your favorite BET show, you watch online. I admit I did catch "Somebodies" online while I was working on TBT.
TV One's website I don't really know too much about, but I feel that is also serves as an extention of their network.
N: Do you hope to find a place for the station on "real" television (i.e. cable, satellite?) If so, why? If not, why not?
TS: "Of course I do. The only reason that I started my network on the Internet was because that was my only option. I am hoping to build a fan base through the internet and build enough revenue to go onto cable and satellite television with ease. But, I will always keep TBT running on sites like YouTube, I can't forget how it all started.
Tempted to "tune in"? Learn more about his vision here.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Registration starting for Digital Media Conference
Save the date: June 25, 2009.
That's when the Digital Media Conference with take place in Virginia.
Topics include digital media trends, how to make money off of online videos (a.k.a. "the third screen"), the death of newspapers, and the "evolution of online advertising".
Hmmm, if you ask me, it sounds like media outlets should have been and should start sending their remaining journalists to this conference instead of ASNE, NABJ, UNITY, etc.
AND! Here's the best part: the conference has cocktails on the schedule from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. to end out the day.
That's when the Digital Media Conference with take place in Virginia.
Topics include digital media trends, how to make money off of online videos (a.k.a. "the third screen"), the death of newspapers, and the "evolution of online advertising".
Hmmm, if you ask me, it sounds like media outlets should have been and should start sending their remaining journalists to this conference instead of ASNE, NABJ, UNITY, etc.
AND! Here's the best part: the conference has cocktails on the schedule from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. to end out the day.
Yes, it is the end of the newspaper world as we know it
Chalk it up to mental fatigue, or weakness, or deliriousness, or just a reality check; but I give up.
I have a prediction that I think is spot on: Newspapers will all die by 2012.
There is no hope.
It's a done deal.
And quite honestly, I'm tired of talking about saving them.
Journalism however will survive.
And honestly, isn't that all that really matters?
OK, so maybe some of my favorite journalists and editors -- some of the most talented people I know from publications that I totally respect -- may not be able to eat off of their talents.
Well, it's time to evolve.
And excuse me for sounding snarky, but that's what's supposed to happen: people, things, concepts, animals change/evolve/move-on or they die.
It's time we face the music and just deal with it.
....did that count as a blog post? Well, if not, I'll count it as therapy. I had to get that out.
I have a prediction that I think is spot on: Newspapers will all die by 2012.
There is no hope.
It's a done deal.
And quite honestly, I'm tired of talking about saving them.
Journalism however will survive.
And honestly, isn't that all that really matters?
OK, so maybe some of my favorite journalists and editors -- some of the most talented people I know from publications that I totally respect -- may not be able to eat off of their talents.
Well, it's time to evolve.
And excuse me for sounding snarky, but that's what's supposed to happen: people, things, concepts, animals change/evolve/move-on or they die.
It's time we face the music and just deal with it.
....did that count as a blog post? Well, if not, I'll count it as therapy. I had to get that out.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Just giving it away: Guardian launches API
Honestly, I didn't know what API stood for, but a quick Google search and it all began to make sense.....well, sort of.
Now that the Guardian is going Web, it's decided to provide full access to all of its content as well as data sets.
The benefit to the Guardian and other newspapers, to me, is still a bit unclear.
But according to the Guardian, the open interface (i.e. full, free articles for everyone to pretty much use however they like), is "so that everyone can benefit from our journalism, our brand, and the technologies that power guardian.co.uk."
The comments at the bottom of the ReadWriteWeb story are all positive. Folks are happy that newspapers are finally waking up and seeing where the future is going to be.
I'm honestly, still a bit confused....it seems as if this is all free. On the registration page for this service, they only ask for basic info and a phone number. No credit card number required....so how praytell does this actually make money?
Then I stumbled across this article which states: It's pretty simple really: The Guardian's new "open platform" will enable content partners to re-use online and back-dated printed content (a million or so articles, dating back to 1999) in their own Web pages totally for free, in return for developing the newspaper's online advertising network--rules for which are built into the API's terms and conditions."
To say the least, it'll be interesting to watch what happens.
Now that the Guardian is going Web, it's decided to provide full access to all of its content as well as data sets.
The benefit to the Guardian and other newspapers, to me, is still a bit unclear.
But according to the Guardian, the open interface (i.e. full, free articles for everyone to pretty much use however they like), is "so that everyone can benefit from our journalism, our brand, and the technologies that power guardian.co.uk."
The comments at the bottom of the ReadWriteWeb story are all positive. Folks are happy that newspapers are finally waking up and seeing where the future is going to be.
I'm honestly, still a bit confused....it seems as if this is all free. On the registration page for this service, they only ask for basic info and a phone number. No credit card number required....so how praytell does this actually make money?
Then I stumbled across this article which states: It's pretty simple really: The Guardian's new "open platform" will enable content partners to re-use online and back-dated printed content (a million or so articles, dating back to 1999) in their own Web pages totally for free, in return for developing the newspaper's online advertising network--rules for which are built into the API's terms and conditions."
To say the least, it'll be interesting to watch what happens.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Care of UNITY: More Nossip Potpourri
Rocky Mountain News Was a Pioneer in Diversity Hiring
The venerable Denver Rocky Mountain News, which printed its final edition after a 150-year run on Friday, was a pioneer in diversity hiring, according to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.In 2003, the paper was the first in the nation to work with the association to improve upon the news coverage and newsroom hiring of Hispanics.Read more at HispanicBusiness.com.Read the last issue of the Rocky Mountain News and tributes to its accomplishments.
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Courant Cutting About 100 JobsThe Hartford Courant is eliminating about 100 jobs this week, mostly by layoffs, as the longtime slide in advertising revenues gains speed in 2009.The cuts include about 30 writing, editing and news support positions, bringing the news staff to 135 -- down from 235 at the start of 2008. With the layoffs, the newspaper will no longer have a reporter assigned to Washington, D.C.Read more at the Hartford Courant.
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Al Dia in Dallas Down to Two Print EditionsSpanish-language newspaper Al DÃa has cut back to two print editions per week, as A.H. Belo, corporate parent of the free Dallas broadsheet, looks to lower costs and eliminate more jobs.Effective the week of February 16, Al DÃa is only distributed on Wednesdays and Saturdays - with a combined press run of about 215,000 copies - down from a six-day, Monday-Saturday schedule.Read more in Hispanic Market Weekly.
The venerable Denver Rocky Mountain News, which printed its final edition after a 150-year run on Friday, was a pioneer in diversity hiring, according to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.In 2003, the paper was the first in the nation to work with the association to improve upon the news coverage and newsroom hiring of Hispanics.Read more at HispanicBusiness.com.Read the last issue of the Rocky Mountain News and tributes to its accomplishments.
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Courant Cutting About 100 JobsThe Hartford Courant is eliminating about 100 jobs this week, mostly by layoffs, as the longtime slide in advertising revenues gains speed in 2009.The cuts include about 30 writing, editing and news support positions, bringing the news staff to 135 -- down from 235 at the start of 2008. With the layoffs, the newspaper will no longer have a reporter assigned to Washington, D.C.Read more at the Hartford Courant.
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Al Dia in Dallas Down to Two Print EditionsSpanish-language newspaper Al DÃa has cut back to two print editions per week, as A.H. Belo, corporate parent of the free Dallas broadsheet, looks to lower costs and eliminate more jobs.Effective the week of February 16, Al DÃa is only distributed on Wednesdays and Saturdays - with a combined press run of about 215,000 copies - down from a six-day, Monday-Saturday schedule.Read more in Hispanic Market Weekly.
Nossip Potpourri: Part Deux
Inquirer owner files for bankruptcy protectionPhiladelphia Newspapers, which also owns the Daily News, says the filing allows it to restructure debt load.Philadelphia Newspapers LLC, which owns The Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com, filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday in a bid to restructure its $390 million in debt load.Read more at Philly.com.
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More layoffs likely at The Bee as McClatchy tries to cut red ink
Analyst: Publisher can't raise stock above $1 to keep from being delistedBuyouts, layoffs, pay cuts and mandatory furloughs are all on the table as The Sacramento Bee works up a plan to help its owner cut expenses by about $110 million over the next year, The Newspaper Guild said.Read more in the Sacramento Business Journal.
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Sale deadline passes, 'Tucson Citizen' likely to quit in MarchTUCSON - Gannett Co. Inc.'s self-imposed deadline to receive bids for the Tucson Citizen has passed with no apparent offers, making it likely the 138-year-old paper will stop publication in March, the newspaper reported.Read more at AZCentral.com.Journal Register Seeks BankrupcyThe Journal Register Company, publisher of The New Haven Register in Connecticut and other newspapers, filed for Chapter 11 protection on Saturday.Read more in The New York Times.
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And the funniest media-related thing I've read/heard all week?
Drum roll puh-leeeeeeze!
Why the Twitter media craze? "Because were rotting corpses grabbing for any glimmer of relevance." -- Samantha Bee.
Nossip Potpourri
The ASNE Reporter, the student newspaper project that was suspended by the American Society of Newspaper Editors for the first time in its two decades, will continue this year after all, Scott Bosley, the ASNE executive director, said on Wednesday. "We cobbled together pieces of support. It's going to work," Bosley told Journal-isms. However, the project will be online only and restricted to Chicago-area students to save on housing expenses. The ASNE convention, which the students will cover, takes place in Chicago from April 26 to 29.....that was the notice last week.....but later, ASNE reported that the entire convention is canceled due to "challenging times" being faced by its membership.
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Norfolk Paper Ends Multicultural Magazine Amid LayoffsThe Virginian-Pilot, battling the recession, will lay off 30 more workers, including black journalist Duane Bourne, a police reporter, and shut down Mix Magazine, edited by veteran black journalist Wil LaVeist, the Norfolk, Va., newspaper said recently.
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Declining advertising revenue led to layoffs this week at the Yakima Herald-Republic, even as the company announced a deal to bolster revenue by printing the Daily Record of Ellensburg.From four to six employees have been or will be laid off from the 38,077-circulation Herald-Republic, depending on whether one or two of them can be transferred within the company, publisher Michael Shepard said Thursday. He would not say which departments of the paper are losing employees. Only one, a copy editor, is from the paper's newsroom.Read more in the Yakima Herald-Republic.
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Norfolk Paper Ends Multicultural Magazine Amid LayoffsThe Virginian-Pilot, battling the recession, will lay off 30 more workers, including black journalist Duane Bourne, a police reporter, and shut down Mix Magazine, edited by veteran black journalist Wil LaVeist, the Norfolk, Va., newspaper said recently.
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Declining advertising revenue led to layoffs this week at the Yakima Herald-Republic, even as the company announced a deal to bolster revenue by printing the Daily Record of Ellensburg.From four to six employees have been or will be laid off from the 38,077-circulation Herald-Republic, depending on whether one or two of them can be transferred within the company, publisher Michael Shepard said Thursday. He would not say which departments of the paper are losing employees. Only one, a copy editor, is from the paper's newsroom.Read more in the Yakima Herald-Republic.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Without newspapers...
Perhaps I shouldn't blog about this.
For the past few weeks I've been trying to come up with at least three instances of how not having newspapers would hinder some of our favorite movies.
I havent' been doing too too well, but here are .... well, at least three cinematic/sitcom-based reasons why newspapers can not die.
1. The crazies - How in the world would movies such as the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind even be cool without crazies clipping out secret codes, conspiracy theories and such in the headlines and text of newspapers? In A Beautiful Mind, and many other great movies, the main character's wife is horrified to find the walls of her husband's office covered in circled newspaper clippings of conspiracies and meaningless codes.
2. The spin (literally) - EXTRA! EXTRA! WITHOUT NEWSPAPERS MANY MOVIES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT HAPPENED!...SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT THAT THE THING THAT HAPPENED HAS TO BE SHOWN IN A HUGE ALL-CAPS HEADLINE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF A NEWSPAPER THAT SPINS AT THE VIEWER!!!!
3. The trip down memory lane - Don't ask me why (of maybe you can blame the Nyquil...I was very ill), but last week I watched the movie Above the Rim. It's a terrible movie, but it reminded me of yet another reason why we (or at least films) shouldn't let all newspapers die: How are the main characters who are looking for redemption in movies supposed to take the viewer down memory lane if they don't have any collected newspaper clippings to refer to?....ESPECIALLY! sports figures?
.....my point exactly.
For the past few weeks I've been trying to come up with at least three instances of how not having newspapers would hinder some of our favorite movies.
I havent' been doing too too well, but here are .... well, at least three cinematic/sitcom-based reasons why newspapers can not die.
1. The crazies - How in the world would movies such as the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind even be cool without crazies clipping out secret codes, conspiracy theories and such in the headlines and text of newspapers? In A Beautiful Mind, and many other great movies, the main character's wife is horrified to find the walls of her husband's office covered in circled newspaper clippings of conspiracies and meaningless codes.
2. The spin (literally) - EXTRA! EXTRA! WITHOUT NEWSPAPERS MANY MOVIES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT HAPPENED!...SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT THAT THE THING THAT HAPPENED HAS TO BE SHOWN IN A HUGE ALL-CAPS HEADLINE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF A NEWSPAPER THAT SPINS AT THE VIEWER!!!!
3. The trip down memory lane - Don't ask me why (of maybe you can blame the Nyquil...I was very ill), but last week I watched the movie Above the Rim. It's a terrible movie, but it reminded me of yet another reason why we (or at least films) shouldn't let all newspapers die: How are the main characters who are looking for redemption in movies supposed to take the viewer down memory lane if they don't have any collected newspaper clippings to refer to?....ESPECIALLY! sports figures?
.....my point exactly.
Tweet? More like "Snark"
This is my blog, so I can say what I want.
It recently came to my attention that many Congressmen were Twittering/Tweeting during President Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday night.
A blog from the Guardian asks if it was inappropriate. My answer: Hell yes.
These new technologies, in the wrong hands and at the wrong time, can be more than a detriment to getting things accomplished. And in this case it was absolutely juvenile.
Case in point: I take a 400-level course in the Annenberg School where I am surrounded by underclassmen. Recently, at the end of an in-class speech by a visiting, well-established entertainment quasi-icon, we were allowed to ask questions. As one of the underclassmen stood up to ask a semi-significant question, a gaggle of her fellow students preceded to say, loudly might I add, "Gag me with a spoon."
According to me, that, is the equivalent of these politicians Tweeting during Presient Obama's speech.
Dana Milbank of The Washington Post (in the link above) put it best: "It's bad enough that Americans are paralyzed by economic jitters. Now the president has to deal with lawmakers paralyzed by Twitter."
If you ask me, this is just another case of when technology usage goes wrong.
It recently came to my attention that many Congressmen were Twittering/Tweeting during President Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday night.
A blog from the Guardian asks if it was inappropriate. My answer: Hell yes.
These new technologies, in the wrong hands and at the wrong time, can be more than a detriment to getting things accomplished. And in this case it was absolutely juvenile.
Case in point: I take a 400-level course in the Annenberg School where I am surrounded by underclassmen. Recently, at the end of an in-class speech by a visiting, well-established entertainment quasi-icon, we were allowed to ask questions. As one of the underclassmen stood up to ask a semi-significant question, a gaggle of her fellow students preceded to say, loudly might I add, "Gag me with a spoon."
According to me, that, is the equivalent of these politicians Tweeting during Presient Obama's speech.
Dana Milbank of The Washington Post (in the link above) put it best: "It's bad enough that Americans are paralyzed by economic jitters. Now the president has to deal with lawmakers paralyzed by Twitter."
If you ask me, this is just another case of when technology usage goes wrong.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Speaking of reports....
In conjunction with UNITY, a collaboration of journalists of color, theloop21.com released their report on race and the media today.
Find the report, Journalism in Color: A special report on medi and race, here....but be patient. I think high volumes of traffic are slowing the site.
I havent' been able to get on it yet to see what the overall findings were.
But I wanted you all to know about it.
Find the report, Journalism in Color: A special report on medi and race, here....but be patient. I think high volumes of traffic are slowing the site.
I havent' been able to get on it yet to see what the overall findings were.
But I wanted you all to know about it.
Wahington Press Corps Metamorphosis
Change.
President Barack Obama promised it in his new administration.
News outlets are going through a lot of it themselves in this digital age and crumbling economy.
And according to a recently-released Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism report, the Washington Press Corps is changing a lot too.
Simply, the mainstream media is shrinking in representation as niche and foreign press grow.
One only had to watch President Obama's recent press conference to see that. (And yes, the Huffington Post was there.)
But one thing that the Pew Research Center report doesn't say outright is that there may now be more people of color in that Press Corps.....perhaps that's what it meant by the term "niche".
I abhor that word. When a majority of this country's population is non-white, people of color should no longer be called a "niche"....but I digress.
Oakland Tribune's Tammerlin Drummond takes on this new administration and new, more colorful White House Press Corps in a recent column. (....but kudos to some mainstream press for having representatives of color.) While she doesn't offer up any numbers, one only had to watch the press conference to see that there were more colored folks up in the mix.
Like Drummond, I too know what it's like to be the "fly in the buttermilk" ---at school, in my newsroom and even in the White House Press Corps.
As an intern for The Boston Globe's Washington Bureau, I once got the opportunity to go to the White House and be in the Press Corps for the day. For the most part, it was a lot of waiting around, but as I waited, I observed and I was a triple minority: young, black and a woman.
Hopefully this trend of more inclusion will continue.
President Barack Obama promised it in his new administration.
News outlets are going through a lot of it themselves in this digital age and crumbling economy.
And according to a recently-released Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism report, the Washington Press Corps is changing a lot too.
Simply, the mainstream media is shrinking in representation as niche and foreign press grow.
One only had to watch President Obama's recent press conference to see that. (And yes, the Huffington Post was there.)
But one thing that the Pew Research Center report doesn't say outright is that there may now be more people of color in that Press Corps.....perhaps that's what it meant by the term "niche".
I abhor that word. When a majority of this country's population is non-white, people of color should no longer be called a "niche"....but I digress.
Oakland Tribune's Tammerlin Drummond takes on this new administration and new, more colorful White House Press Corps in a recent column. (....but kudos to some mainstream press for having representatives of color.) While she doesn't offer up any numbers, one only had to watch the press conference to see that there were more colored folks up in the mix.
Like Drummond, I too know what it's like to be the "fly in the buttermilk" ---at school, in my newsroom and even in the White House Press Corps.
As an intern for The Boston Globe's Washington Bureau, I once got the opportunity to go to the White House and be in the Press Corps for the day. For the most part, it was a lot of waiting around, but as I waited, I observed and I was a triple minority: young, black and a woman.
Hopefully this trend of more inclusion will continue.
Nossip Gossip that's Verifiable...but anonymous
The idea for Nossip was that the name "Nossip" would stand for "newsroom gossip"...well, in the vein of Perez Hilton the self-proclaimed Queen of all Media, I have some actual newsroom gossip for my Nossip readers.
First let me say that I have friends working in newspapers from coast to coast and all points in between. They all know I'm in school now and so to keep me in the loop in the hopes that I will eventually find my way back to a newsroom, they update me on how their papers are handling the economy and the digital age.
Here are a few horror stories I've gotten in the last week:
- One paper has issued a mandate that all employess turn off their computers and other electric devices if they are going to be gone from their work station for more than 2 hours. Also, to save on their electric bill, lights in the bathrooms and in the newsrooms as a whole must be turned off when not in use.
- One paper has stopped offering free single copies of the newspaper throughout the building and has stopped all access to single copies in its library. So, if staffers want to read their articles, they'd better go out and buy a paper.
- One paper's online editor refuses to do podcasts and will offer no explanation as to why the organization will not move into this new popular media. Perhaps it's Web space? Does he/she not know how podcasts work? Who's to say.
First let me say that I have friends working in newspapers from coast to coast and all points in between. They all know I'm in school now and so to keep me in the loop in the hopes that I will eventually find my way back to a newsroom, they update me on how their papers are handling the economy and the digital age.
Here are a few horror stories I've gotten in the last week:
- One paper has issued a mandate that all employess turn off their computers and other electric devices if they are going to be gone from their work station for more than 2 hours. Also, to save on their electric bill, lights in the bathrooms and in the newsrooms as a whole must be turned off when not in use.
- One paper has stopped offering free single copies of the newspaper throughout the building and has stopped all access to single copies in its library. So, if staffers want to read their articles, they'd better go out and buy a paper.
- One paper's online editor refuses to do podcasts and will offer no explanation as to why the organization will not move into this new popular media. Perhaps it's Web space? Does he/she not know how podcasts work? Who's to say.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Stop being anti-social in your media
All the cool kids art Tweeting and Myspacing and Facebooking and Blogging.
This PBS piece is pointing out that social media doesn't have to be a time suck.
A blog can be better than a business card.
Tweeting can get your coverage covered ... with, ummm, eyeballs, tweets and comments....yeah!
Facebook can be the new networking mixer.
So, open up on-line....but watch out that you don't get, eh, "too open."
This PBS piece is pointing out that social media doesn't have to be a time suck.
A blog can be better than a business card.
Tweeting can get your coverage covered ... with, ummm, eyeballs, tweets and comments....yeah!
Facebook can be the new networking mixer.
So, open up on-line....but watch out that you don't get, eh, "too open."
Journalistic Slavery
Catchy title, eh?
Yeah, I hoped it would grab your attention.
Journalistic slavery is a new term I just came up with but it's based off of a very interesting article on the cover of Time Magazine written by Walter Isaacson who thinks newspapers made a mistake by putting everything on the Internet for free. (Watch hilarity ensue as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show interviews him.)
Isaacson states a little-known fact: newspapers and magazines are more popular than ever. Everyone is reading them. They just happen to be reading them on line for free.
The masses are getting mentally rich off of our labor, labor we're practically not being paid for.
Yep! I think that's close enough to a definition of slavery.
And just as we've been stating in class, Isaacson reminds us that this journalistic slavery is meaning the death of international, national, state and local coverage.
And just as I suggested in class (sans an actual plan to put this proposal into action), Isaacson agrees, our work should not be on-line for free.
....I really love it when people agree with me....but he has a plan: Micro-fees like iTune charges.
But Stewart makes a great point, "Can we really take away something that we used to give for free and start charging for it?"
Damn. I wish someone would've thought about that years ago.
Yeah, I hoped it would grab your attention.
Journalistic slavery is a new term I just came up with but it's based off of a very interesting article on the cover of Time Magazine written by Walter Isaacson who thinks newspapers made a mistake by putting everything on the Internet for free. (Watch hilarity ensue as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show interviews him.)
Isaacson states a little-known fact: newspapers and magazines are more popular than ever. Everyone is reading them. They just happen to be reading them on line for free.
The masses are getting mentally rich off of our labor, labor we're practically not being paid for.
Yep! I think that's close enough to a definition of slavery.
And just as we've been stating in class, Isaacson reminds us that this journalistic slavery is meaning the death of international, national, state and local coverage.
And just as I suggested in class (sans an actual plan to put this proposal into action), Isaacson agrees, our work should not be on-line for free.
....I really love it when people agree with me....but he has a plan: Micro-fees like iTune charges.
But Stewart makes a great point, "Can we really take away something that we used to give for free and start charging for it?"
Damn. I wish someone would've thought about that years ago.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
No News is Bad News: A quick roundup
This blog post is basically just what the title says it is: a round-up.
In order to add a little bit of editorial content to the info, I'd like to present to you, for your entertainment, a news rating system.
Bad news gets a "Damn!", kind of like my own profane version of a "thumbs down" which I believe is now copyrighted by movie critic Roger Ebert.
Good news however, gets a "Yay!"....yeah, we're classy around here on the Nossip blog.
Well, here goes.
The first "Damn!" goes to my old employer, The St. Petersburg Times for suspending its employees' 401-K contributions and for initiating pay freezes. You've got to love Editor & Publisher's headline for this news item: "Even St. Pete Times announces Pay Freeze, Suspends 401-K Contributions." That word "Even" is there for a reason. The St. Petersburg Times doesn't have your "regular" business model when it comes to ownership so they were thought to be immune from the economic trends.
The first "Yay!" goes to new Website theloop21.com for partnering with a newly launched search-engine for the black community called RushmoreDrive.
RushmoreDrive bills itself as a "first-of-its-kind" search engine for the black community that delivers a blend of mainstream search results influenced by the black community. While the search is the Website's core offering, users also get news, black opinions and an opportunity to search for jobs with companies that value diversity, all at the same Web destination."
Nossip's second "Yay!" goes to the blog "Reflections of a Newsosaur" by self-proclaimed old dude extraordinaire, Alan D. Mutter.
In his latest entry, Mr. Mutter calls the idea of a paperless newspaper "suicide"....I think I like him.
In order to add a little bit of editorial content to the info, I'd like to present to you, for your entertainment, a news rating system.
Bad news gets a "Damn!", kind of like my own profane version of a "thumbs down" which I believe is now copyrighted by movie critic Roger Ebert.
Good news however, gets a "Yay!"....yeah, we're classy around here on the Nossip blog.
Well, here goes.
The first "Damn!" goes to my old employer, The St. Petersburg Times for suspending its employees' 401-K contributions and for initiating pay freezes. You've got to love Editor & Publisher's headline for this news item: "Even St. Pete Times announces Pay Freeze, Suspends 401-K Contributions." That word "Even" is there for a reason. The St. Petersburg Times doesn't have your "regular" business model when it comes to ownership so they were thought to be immune from the economic trends.
The first "Yay!" goes to new Website theloop21.com for partnering with a newly launched search-engine for the black community called RushmoreDrive.
RushmoreDrive bills itself as a "first-of-its-kind" search engine for the black community that delivers a blend of mainstream search results influenced by the black community. While the search is the Website's core offering, users also get news, black opinions and an opportunity to search for jobs with companies that value diversity, all at the same Web destination."
Nossip's second "Yay!" goes to the blog "Reflections of a Newsosaur" by self-proclaimed old dude extraordinaire, Alan D. Mutter.
In his latest entry, Mr. Mutter calls the idea of a paperless newspaper "suicide"....I think I like him.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Practicing What We Preach
With all of this talk about journalists "thinking outside the box" (Don't you just love that cliche? It's definitely on my most hated/top 10 favorites list), I thought it would be good to share an upcoming Knight Digital Media Center seminar.
The Knight Digital Media Center's News Entrepreneur Boot Camp will be held May 16 through the 21, but the deadline for applying is Feb. 16th.
In a nutshell, the boot camp is designed for digital journalists who lack the grounding in business and startup skills.
Check it out.
The Knight Digital Media Center's News Entrepreneur Boot Camp will be held May 16 through the 21, but the deadline for applying is Feb. 16th.
In a nutshell, the boot camp is designed for digital journalists who lack the grounding in business and startup skills.
Check it out.
Facebook cares too...62,456 Facebookers and counting
Facebook, the newly popular but far from new social networking site has a ton of applications and events and groups and fan clubs in which to take part. Seriously, there have got to be at least a million if not more. Some of the invitations I've received include throwing Mardi Gras beads at people (sans the flashing), giving my favorite pieces of virtual sushi to people and even joining a Mob War. I've been invited to a plethora of 25-cent hot wing nights, jazz performances and comedy clubs. And, I am currently a fan of Thelonious Monk, Jesus and water to name a few of my fan club memberships.
Still, I was slightly surprised when I saw that three of my friends (all journalists), are attending National Buy A Newspaper Day on Monday. They are three of 62, 456 people who will be "attending" this event. Another 5,055 say they "might" be coming.
Who's behind the movement? Well, apparently, an Alaskan journalist named Chris Freiberg.
He speaks of his inpiration on Facebook saying in a message dated Jan. 15:
About 72 hours ago I was sitting here in my apartment in Alaska (and before you ask, no, I can’t see Russia from here), reading about the plight of the American newspaper industry. But what can one lowly reporter do to at least slow the death of print journalism, I thought?
The answer I came to, is this event, Buy a Newspaper Day, Feb. 2, 2009.
I understand that in the near future newspapers will be mostly or completely online, but as I wrote in the event description, my fear is that given the current condition of the economy and the state of the newspaper industry, many papers may just have to close their doors completely before they’re able to make that transition.
Consider this one last great statement to try and boost readership and get people back in the habit of picking up their local newspaper on a daily basis. Since many local papers already have low circulations, just a small boost could keep a paper alive for several months, or save the job of one hard working journalist. If we can accomplish that, I’ll consider this event a huge success.
If you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to invite every last one of your Facebook friends to this event.
But don’t just think of this as a Facebook movement, but rather a movement that began on Facebook. A good friend of mine is putting together a modest Web site, www.buyanewspaperday.com to further spread the word.
It also looks like many of you have media connections. Don’t hesitate to link to this new site or the Facebook event on your blogs or newspaper sites. Produce pieces for your publications and spread the word. Talk to your editors, and tell them to start putting together some great features for the Feb. 2 paper.
Feel free to message me directly with any questions, comments or concerns.
Good night and good luck,
Chris Freiberg
...well, if I may be opinionated, way to go Chris! I'll be there.
Still, I was slightly surprised when I saw that three of my friends (all journalists), are attending National Buy A Newspaper Day on Monday. They are three of 62, 456 people who will be "attending" this event. Another 5,055 say they "might" be coming.
Who's behind the movement? Well, apparently, an Alaskan journalist named Chris Freiberg.
He speaks of his inpiration on Facebook saying in a message dated Jan. 15:
About 72 hours ago I was sitting here in my apartment in Alaska (and before you ask, no, I can’t see Russia from here), reading about the plight of the American newspaper industry. But what can one lowly reporter do to at least slow the death of print journalism, I thought?
The answer I came to, is this event, Buy a Newspaper Day, Feb. 2, 2009.
I understand that in the near future newspapers will be mostly or completely online, but as I wrote in the event description, my fear is that given the current condition of the economy and the state of the newspaper industry, many papers may just have to close their doors completely before they’re able to make that transition.
Consider this one last great statement to try and boost readership and get people back in the habit of picking up their local newspaper on a daily basis. Since many local papers already have low circulations, just a small boost could keep a paper alive for several months, or save the job of one hard working journalist. If we can accomplish that, I’ll consider this event a huge success.
If you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to invite every last one of your Facebook friends to this event.
But don’t just think of this as a Facebook movement, but rather a movement that began on Facebook. A good friend of mine is putting together a modest Web site, www.buyanewspaperday.com to further spread the word.
It also looks like many of you have media connections. Don’t hesitate to link to this new site or the Facebook event on your blogs or newspaper sites. Produce pieces for your publications and spread the word. Talk to your editors, and tell them to start putting together some great features for the Feb. 2 paper.
Feel free to message me directly with any questions, comments or concerns.
Good night and good luck,
Chris Freiberg
...well, if I may be opinionated, way to go Chris! I'll be there.
Dead Air: Radio not immune
I got this great email from one of my fellow Trojans. She's a radio gal and one of her other radio friends sent her a message, a message which she then sent to us via our Google group email.
In a roundabout way she encouraged us to "converge" on a certain online video that her friend had a hand in producing in the hopes of bumping up page hits (Oh, those page hits: In a digital world they're basically quantitative validation that your work counts and that people are listening, reading, watching....but as "valuable" as they are these days, it never ceases to amaze me that no one really knows their qualitative value. But, I digress.)
My fellow Trojan ended the email with these words: "Those of you who were thinking of continuing radio careers in L.A... get in line...or get a brilliant plan!"
In a roundabout way she encouraged us to "converge" on a certain online video that her friend had a hand in producing in the hopes of bumping up page hits (Oh, those page hits: In a digital world they're basically quantitative validation that your work counts and that people are listening, reading, watching....but as "valuable" as they are these days, it never ceases to amaze me that no one really knows their qualitative value. But, I digress.)
My fellow Trojan ended the email with these words: "Those of you who were thinking of continuing radio careers in L.A... get in line...or get a brilliant plan!"
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Somebody thinks we deserve a BAILOUT!
With the news that the Los Angeles Times will be laying off another 300 employees as well as consolidating its metro and state section - California - into its A-section, one could say that the sky is now officially falling.
Venice Paper calls it a move that's akin to the L.A. Times cutting off its head.
But, at least we are not suffering in silence.
This guy, as well as many others, thinks the newspaper industry deserves a bailout. (This is obviously an idea that comes with a bunch of little devil's the in the details, but still, let's not think about all of that and just appreciate the suggestion, shall we?)
Calling newspapers essential to democracy, blogger Jim Gogek is urging everyone to start appreciating us and to help us merge into the digital age....because God knows we need help.
....awwww, see, somebody does care.
Venice Paper calls it a move that's akin to the L.A. Times cutting off its head.
But, at least we are not suffering in silence.
This guy, as well as many others, thinks the newspaper industry deserves a bailout. (This is obviously an idea that comes with a bunch of little devil's the in the details, but still, let's not think about all of that and just appreciate the suggestion, shall we?)
Calling newspapers essential to democracy, blogger Jim Gogek is urging everyone to start appreciating us and to help us merge into the digital age....because God knows we need help.
....awwww, see, somebody does care.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Gannett profits drop...but at least there's still a "profit"
Many, well, actually most, of my friends working in media are at Gannett newspapers.
They told me about the furloughs. Some were slightly panicked, while others saw the silver lining: "At least we're staving off layoffs."
But then today, I stumbled across this bit of news on Bloomberg.com which I'm sure I'll be getting phone calls and text messages about from my friends as the day goes on.
Gannett's profits have dropped by 36 percent as ad revenue continues to decline. I know, analysts know, but most of all my friends fear that this may be the final nail in the coffin.
This might be it. The layoffs might be coming. My friends tell me that that possibility is all they can think about when they walk into work. And that lingering fear really is taking its toll: One of my friends is drinking more than usual, the other has warned her parents that she may need to move back home, and yet another is on panic attack medication.
I pray for them, I lend a listening ear and I keep an eye out for employment opportunities for them --- as well as for myself because Heaven only knows if I'll be able to find a job when I get out of school.
If things go well (and this is where the digital media angle comes in), I may have a Website for them to work at in a few months in the event that they do get laid off.
My master's project is the creation of a Website that will track the school to prison pipeline of young black males. While a large part of the site will be aggregated content, the site will need skilled journalists to analyze statistics and write them into works of journalism.
I think sites like mine and others just may be the parachute that individual professionals need as they jump from the burning, crashing plane that is this industry.....was that metaphor too much?
They told me about the furloughs. Some were slightly panicked, while others saw the silver lining: "At least we're staving off layoffs."
But then today, I stumbled across this bit of news on Bloomberg.com which I'm sure I'll be getting phone calls and text messages about from my friends as the day goes on.
Gannett's profits have dropped by 36 percent as ad revenue continues to decline. I know, analysts know, but most of all my friends fear that this may be the final nail in the coffin.
This might be it. The layoffs might be coming. My friends tell me that that possibility is all they can think about when they walk into work. And that lingering fear really is taking its toll: One of my friends is drinking more than usual, the other has warned her parents that she may need to move back home, and yet another is on panic attack medication.
I pray for them, I lend a listening ear and I keep an eye out for employment opportunities for them --- as well as for myself because Heaven only knows if I'll be able to find a job when I get out of school.
If things go well (and this is where the digital media angle comes in), I may have a Website for them to work at in a few months in the event that they do get laid off.
My master's project is the creation of a Website that will track the school to prison pipeline of young black males. While a large part of the site will be aggregated content, the site will need skilled journalists to analyze statistics and write them into works of journalism.
I think sites like mine and others just may be the parachute that individual professionals need as they jump from the burning, crashing plane that is this industry.....was that metaphor too much?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
New York Times' very own obit
A pessimistically sickening yet entertaining quick read, The Cornell Daily Sun's Katie Engellhart, gives us a down and dirty (literally and figuratively - she references a colleague who compares blogging to masturbation....) look at the Gray Lady's predicted demise via digital media.
Enjoy!
(lol)
Enjoy!
(lol)
Friday, January 23, 2009
If video killed the radio star...
...can the Internet really save newspapers?
Well, that's the claim coming from a Marketwire story just released today: The Internet will save newspapers and it will be happening when THE PRINTED BLOG, launches next Tuesday in San Francisco and Chicago.
And just what is THE PRINTED BLOG? Well, if you ask me, it could be convergence "in the flesh" so to speak, or, just a really bad idea.
According to the Marketwire story, "Founded in 2009 by Chicago native Joshua Karp, THE PRINTED BLOG has established a first-of-its-kind business by putting online content into newspaper form..."
Yep, you read that right.
Some of what makes THE PRINTED BLOG, such a one-of-a-kind idea is, according to the Marketwire pitch, its "affordable" and "hyper-local advertising" opportunities and the fact that it's a "revolutionary newspaper that reads and functions like an Internet news feed, yet can still be enjoyed on the train or spread across the breakfast table."
Hmmm.....hey, I've gotta give creator Joshua Karp a big pat on the back (or, as the kids would say these days, "big ups") for thinking outside of the proverbial box.
Karp's concept might be a terrible idea. Or, it might be the next big thing. Nonetheless, it is a touch of innovation, one of many things that the newspaper industry has been missing.
Well, that's the claim coming from a Marketwire story just released today: The Internet will save newspapers and it will be happening when THE PRINTED BLOG, launches next Tuesday in San Francisco and Chicago.
And just what is THE PRINTED BLOG? Well, if you ask me, it could be convergence "in the flesh" so to speak, or, just a really bad idea.
According to the Marketwire story, "Founded in 2009 by Chicago native Joshua Karp, THE PRINTED BLOG has established a first-of-its-kind business by putting online content into newspaper form..."
Yep, you read that right.
Some of what makes THE PRINTED BLOG, such a one-of-a-kind idea is, according to the Marketwire pitch, its "affordable" and "hyper-local advertising" opportunities and the fact that it's a "revolutionary newspaper that reads and functions like an Internet news feed, yet can still be enjoyed on the train or spread across the breakfast table."
Hmmm.....hey, I've gotta give creator Joshua Karp a big pat on the back (or, as the kids would say these days, "big ups") for thinking outside of the proverbial box.
Karp's concept might be a terrible idea. Or, it might be the next big thing. Nonetheless, it is a touch of innovation, one of many things that the newspaper industry has been missing.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Print v. Broadcast: Obama picking favorites?
We all make mistakes, right?
As a journalist, I've had my share of corrections. It's never pretty.
And Chief Justice John Roberts found out just how unsexy --- and embarrassing --- corrections are yesterday during President Barack Obama's first day.
Roberts had to give Obama the oath again.
Perhaps the second-most interesting thing about this re-oathing (So nice, he did it twice! lol...I kid, I kid.) is that in Obama denied the major news stations access to the re-oathing.
Print reporters were allowed though.
Yesterday was supposed to be Obama's kick off to a "new era" of open democracy, where he's pledged to keep doors open and press access plentiful.
I honestly don't thing it's that big of a deal...but it does strike me as a bit odd.
The one question that's on my mind more so than "Why weren't news channels allowed?" is this: "Why were press representatives enough?"
I for one think it has a lot ot do with our new digital age.
As a journalist, I've had my share of corrections. It's never pretty.
And Chief Justice John Roberts found out just how unsexy --- and embarrassing --- corrections are yesterday during President Barack Obama's first day.
Roberts had to give Obama the oath again.
Perhaps the second-most interesting thing about this re-oathing (So nice, he did it twice! lol...I kid, I kid.) is that in Obama denied the major news stations access to the re-oathing.
Print reporters were allowed though.
Yesterday was supposed to be Obama's kick off to a "new era" of open democracy, where he's pledged to keep doors open and press access plentiful.
I honestly don't thing it's that big of a deal...but it does strike me as a bit odd.
The one question that's on my mind more so than "Why weren't news channels allowed?" is this: "Why were press representatives enough?"
I for one think it has a lot ot do with our new digital age.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Bloggers: Card-carrying members of the Press
I guess you could call this a victory for the metamorphosis of journalism as we know it.
It's slightly "old news", but still, it's new to me.
Long story short, a few bloggers in New York City sued the city after the NYPD denied them press credentials.
I guess you could also call this a further blurring of the lines or maybe a better demarkation of what 21st century journalism is.
...but with this "victory" will all bloggers now consider themselves "real journalists"?
Does this now make government entities more accessible to members of the public ( or "journalists") and open to more scrutiny? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Will it help or hinder democracy?
Who is honestly "credentialed" enough to be considered a "journalist"?
What the hell is the definition of a "real" "journalist" these days anyway?
(Note: the excessive use of quotation marks isn't an attempt to be snarky. I'm doing air quotes with my fingers as I work through typing this out...seriously. lol)
*sigh*...I won't even try to answer these questions. But I welcome your answers.
It's slightly "old news", but still, it's new to me.
Long story short, a few bloggers in New York City sued the city after the NYPD denied them press credentials.
I guess you could also call this a further blurring of the lines or maybe a better demarkation of what 21st century journalism is.
...but with this "victory" will all bloggers now consider themselves "real journalists"?
Does this now make government entities more accessible to members of the public ( or "journalists") and open to more scrutiny? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Will it help or hinder democracy?
Who is honestly "credentialed" enough to be considered a "journalist"?
What the hell is the definition of a "real" "journalist" these days anyway?
(Note: the excessive use of quotation marks isn't an attempt to be snarky. I'm doing air quotes with my fingers as I work through typing this out...seriously. lol)
*sigh*...I won't even try to answer these questions. But I welcome your answers.
Inaugural coverage to really "take you there"
I lived in Washington, D.C. for three and a half years as a student at Howard University.
I know D.C.
I love D.C.
But I also understand D.C.'s weaknesses when it comes to large crowds.
"Big" events that drew thousands such as Howard University's Homecoming and even the NBA All-Star game often meant crowded metro trains and stand-still traffic.
The Inauguration is expected to be beyond colossal. Ginormous even.
Logistically, will it work? That's to be seen.
But I for one can't wait for the tweets, Myspace and Facebook updates, blogs, videos, vlogs and online photos from my friends telling me all about it.
But for the folks who won't be there, new media is promising up-close and personal coverage like never before.
CNN and Facebook are partnering for online coverage.
NPR and Current.tv have established tags for citizen journalists to use when microblogging before and during the inauguration.
The Washington Post is promising the best coverage one will find anywhere.
And various mobile television devices are urging folks to tune in while on the move.
And President-Elect Barack Obama's staff is promising to make it the most "accessible" in U.S. history by partnering with YouTube and Twitter.
I don't know about you, but I'm excited about this super digital day....and the pessimist in me is waiting to see if any of it goes according to plan.
I know D.C.
I love D.C.
But I also understand D.C.'s weaknesses when it comes to large crowds.
"Big" events that drew thousands such as Howard University's Homecoming and even the NBA All-Star game often meant crowded metro trains and stand-still traffic.
The Inauguration is expected to be beyond colossal. Ginormous even.
Logistically, will it work? That's to be seen.
But I for one can't wait for the tweets, Myspace and Facebook updates, blogs, videos, vlogs and online photos from my friends telling me all about it.
But for the folks who won't be there, new media is promising up-close and personal coverage like never before.
CNN and Facebook are partnering for online coverage.
NPR and Current.tv have established tags for citizen journalists to use when microblogging before and during the inauguration.
The Washington Post is promising the best coverage one will find anywhere.
And various mobile television devices are urging folks to tune in while on the move.
And President-Elect Barack Obama's staff is promising to make it the most "accessible" in U.S. history by partnering with YouTube and Twitter.
I don't know about you, but I'm excited about this super digital day....and the pessimist in me is waiting to see if any of it goes according to plan.
A late "Christmas" present
In the spirit of the holidays -- and in the depression of all the layoffs -- a few journalist friends of mine sent me the following remixed/remade Christmas classic.
I in turn forwarded it to many other journalist friends of mine who told me that they watched it and cried about it and maybe laughed through their tears.
It's a nifty little video and song: God Rest Ye Weary Journalists. Its creators say they believe in the ability of the Web to save journalism.
It's definitely an interesting position, not to mention, a perfect topic for this class blog.
I in turn forwarded it to many other journalist friends of mine who told me that they watched it and cried about it and maybe laughed through their tears.
It's a nifty little video and song: God Rest Ye Weary Journalists. Its creators say they believe in the ability of the Web to save journalism.
It's definitely an interesting position, not to mention, a perfect topic for this class blog.
Journalists of color weigh in on mainstream political, racial coverage
With President-Elect Barack Obama's Inauguration ceremony just a few days away, I thought I'd share what I consider to be a blog-worthy digital media note.
Along with UNITY, a national cohort of journalists of color, new kid on the Web theloop21.com is surveying journalists of color across the nation about how they feel mainstream media covered racial issues in the recent presidential election.
The two entities are planning a media blitz some time soon.
"If we get to work it out the way we want to it'll be juicy," said theloop21.com publisher Darrell L. Williams.
Williams and staff launched theloop21.com earlier this year with the aim of contextualizing economical, educational and political issues in the news for ordinary working folks --- especially black Americans.
I visit theloop21.com often, and am a semi-frequent contributor. So, yes, maybe I'm a bit biased in saying what I'm about to say, but theloop21.com is doing what mainstream media doesn't, or maybe what it "can't" or just "won't": bringing working people news they can use to empower themselves.
In these tough economic times, every little bit of information and analysis involving real life issues helps.
And excuse this shaky transition, but due to these tough economic times, as we all know, newsrooms and organizations are cutting back on staff and in the process, newsroom diversity is taking one hell of a hit...which I guess leads me back to theloop21.com and UNITY survey.
If you ask me, more diversity (race, age, gender, background, etc.) in the newsroom makes for better coverage, a better product. Anyhoo, here's a great column about the topic by The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz.
Along with UNITY, a national cohort of journalists of color, new kid on the Web theloop21.com is surveying journalists of color across the nation about how they feel mainstream media covered racial issues in the recent presidential election.
The two entities are planning a media blitz some time soon.
"If we get to work it out the way we want to it'll be juicy," said theloop21.com publisher Darrell L. Williams.
Williams and staff launched theloop21.com earlier this year with the aim of contextualizing economical, educational and political issues in the news for ordinary working folks --- especially black Americans.
I visit theloop21.com often, and am a semi-frequent contributor. So, yes, maybe I'm a bit biased in saying what I'm about to say, but theloop21.com is doing what mainstream media doesn't, or maybe what it "can't" or just "won't": bringing working people news they can use to empower themselves.
In these tough economic times, every little bit of information and analysis involving real life issues helps.
And excuse this shaky transition, but due to these tough economic times, as we all know, newsrooms and organizations are cutting back on staff and in the process, newsroom diversity is taking one hell of a hit...which I guess leads me back to theloop21.com and UNITY survey.
If you ask me, more diversity (race, age, gender, background, etc.) in the newsroom makes for better coverage, a better product. Anyhoo, here's a great column about the topic by The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"Happy" New Year!
In looking for industry news regarding the fiscal crisis for newspapers and in addition to the news that Gannett is forcing its employees to take "furloughs", I stumbled across this little prediction.
Very discouraging.
But, depending on how you look at it, it's inspiring.
There's a lot of improvement to be made.
....Thinking Cap on....full steam ahead.
Very discouraging.
But, depending on how you look at it, it's inspiring.
There's a lot of improvement to be made.
....Thinking Cap on....full steam ahead.
Reflections on Leadership and the Future of Reporting in the Digital Age: Day One
Can I be honest?
I'm not very optimistic about the future of journalism as we know it.
In the digital age, I feel as though newspapers --- which are my heart and were once my bread and butter --- missed the boat a very, very long time ago.
This means great changes and great disappointments, but also great opportunities.
So, yes, somewhere in this mess there is a silver lining to this heavy gray cloud of doom currently hanging over the industry.
In my Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship class in the Marshall School of Business at USC we are learning that because the economic situation is so bleak, now is the best time for the proliferation of new ideas. Entrepreneurship is a lot about finding solutions to problems. Well, the situation with the media and how it will or won't transition into the digital age is ripe with problems.
And like Professor Geoffrey Cowan said tonight, this Leadership and the Future of Reporting in the Digital Age class has possibilities for finding solutions...or, at least to create something useful for the industry and the strengthening of democracy as we know it.
The ideas that we'll throw around in enlightened discussions among our class of reporters, television personalities, bloggers, artists, scientists, financiers, world travelers, would-be educators, innovators and, dare I say, future entrepreneurs could possibly change the world....and, well, if we save newspapers in the process, that would be great too.
I'm not very optimistic about the future of journalism as we know it.
In the digital age, I feel as though newspapers --- which are my heart and were once my bread and butter --- missed the boat a very, very long time ago.
This means great changes and great disappointments, but also great opportunities.
So, yes, somewhere in this mess there is a silver lining to this heavy gray cloud of doom currently hanging over the industry.
In my Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship class in the Marshall School of Business at USC we are learning that because the economic situation is so bleak, now is the best time for the proliferation of new ideas. Entrepreneurship is a lot about finding solutions to problems. Well, the situation with the media and how it will or won't transition into the digital age is ripe with problems.
And like Professor Geoffrey Cowan said tonight, this Leadership and the Future of Reporting in the Digital Age class has possibilities for finding solutions...or, at least to create something useful for the industry and the strengthening of democracy as we know it.
The ideas that we'll throw around in enlightened discussions among our class of reporters, television personalities, bloggers, artists, scientists, financiers, world travelers, would-be educators, innovators and, dare I say, future entrepreneurs could possibly change the world....and, well, if we save newspapers in the process, that would be great too.
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