Archive for November, 2008
My candid thoughts on journalism
Journalism is at the beginning of a tectonic shift and massive upheaval, and yet, I consider this to be an incredibly exciting time to be in journalism. We stand on the doorstep of history. We’re watching the reinvention of a critical industry. This is not an evolution — we are a part of a revolution. [...]
I’m not a charity case. Are you?
There is a new Facebook group called, “Don’t let newspapers die.” It encourages journalists to try to get people to buy a newspaper again. Not by producing a better or a more relevant product mind you, but by badgering people to buy a product that they no longer find valuable. The official logo for this group is [...]
So, you have a blog. Now what? Vol. 1
This is the start of a new series on the JI where I discuss tips on how to blog. These will usually be short, down-and-dirty tips. If you’ve just started a blog, you’re probably wondering, “how do I get people to read my blog?” Sure, you can tell your friends and colleagues about it. You can e-mail [...]
Today’s Thought: Complacency is not an option
Complacency is a bridge to nowhere. I cannot tell you or your news organization exactly what to do. There is no magic bullet that will save floundering news organizations. But I can tell you that the status quo will end in failure. Innovation is ultimately what will save journalism. Innovation requires experimentation. Experimentation requires a [...]
Podcast: David Cohn discusses Spot.Us and community funding
David Cohn launched his new community-funded journalism project, Spot.Us, last week to much fan fare. I don’t know whether or not it can save journalism or if it will fail. My guess is on somewhere in the middle. It will probably be a viable way to fund certain kinds of journalism in certain communities. In [...]
The real challenge that journalism needs
Forget the Knight News Challenge. It’s not what journalism really needs. What journalism needs is a challenge to create local news startups with new business models — to make products that people care about again and that are sustainable without subsidies. Now, that’s a challenge. And instead of this being grant funded, it should be [...]
We were never in the newspaper business
We were always in the news business. That’s what our readers and users care about. It’s the news. If people cared about the paper more than the news, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other beacons of American journalism would have never risen to the world-wide prominence they enjoy [...]
What should the Online Ethics Seal be officially called?
We need your help naming the Online Ethics Seal. The Online Ethics Seal has been the tentative name. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be the finalized name. In fact, many of you have said don’t like the connotation that a “seal” brings. Maybe this is more of a code of ethics. Or, maybe it’s [...]