Archive for 2008
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 [...]
Christian Science Monitor to cease publishing print newspaper
The Christian Science Monitor will end weekday publication of its print edition next April, concentrating on a daily Web model. The Monitor will also be adding a Sunday magazine. Please excuse the wildly-misleading New York Times headline that says the Monitor will be online only. In fact, the new magazine will cost more per issue [...]
Squandered profits, shattered brands: the tragedy of newspapers
When historians come to write the history of the newspaper industry over the last two decades, they’ll talk about how newspaper companies squandered it all with a series of unfortunate — and often short sighted — decisions. I want you to read what Alan Mutter had to say about newspapers in his latest blog post. [...]
Podcast: Monitor editor John Yemma on the future of newspapers
Click here to stream the interview. Or download the MP3. John Yemma, the editor of The Christian Science Monitor, discussed with me his thoughts on the future of newspapers in my latest podcast. Yemma and I discussed several topics. What’s clear is that newspapers will continue to evolve in the coming years as Web operations [...]
Today is the day for change in your newsroom
You don’t need a fancy new CMS, a new editor in chief, new business model or prayer to start innovating today. This month’s Carnival of Journalism, hosted by Will Sullivan over at Journerdism, asks a very pragmatic question: What are small, incremental steps one can make to fuel change in their media organization? Pragmatic questions [...]
What would you tell a journalism student?
What advice would you impart on today’s students? What would you say to students who are graduating this winter and next spring, during one of the worst economic times in recent memory? Would you comfort them? Would you tell them to flee? Would you tell them to believe? Would you be honest about how many [...]
I care about the message, not the medium
I got my start in newspapers, but I’m beginning to accept that their future isn’t very bright. I don’t think the same can be said of a lot of my newspaper colleagues. For many of them, the newspaper is what they truly love. I’m not married to newspapers. I never was, and I never will be. [...]
Is the downfall of newspapers really just a rebirth of journalism?
Newspaper ad revenues are again down by double digits, more newspapers are defaulting on debt and we’re entering one of the worst economic crises ever. Ad revenue will continue to dry up. Many traditional print advertisers (car dealers, real estate agents, etc) are facing tough times and some are going out of business. This economic [...]
Poll: Does your news organization use Twitter?
Does your news organization use Twitter? ( surveys)