In the face of a rapidly changing landscape institutional memory is a roadblock to success.
I’m not convinced that newspapers don’t have the talented and dedicated employees to make products that matter. I’m rather convinced, in fact, that many newspapers are loaded with talent, waiting to be unleashed.
The problem, however, is an institutional memory that is too inward looking and not outwardly enough focused.
In short, newspapers think too much about what they were and not enough about what they should be.