We Still Want the Words

Disguised as an article in the New Yorker, Eric Alterman presents an insightful obituary of the American newspaper. Premature by 30 years or so according to one author sited in Alterman’s article who predicts the last newspaper will be delivered in 2043.

The bottom line is that the newspaper is dying. The Internet is taking the industry by storm. The business model doesn’t work. Profit margins aren’t what they used to be. These issues, along with many more, come to mind and at the same time there are other underlying problems that we might not see the repercussions until later down the road.

I don’t think that newspapers are doomed. The blogosphere is growing by the second. The idea that anyone can chime in at anytime from the comfort of wherever they please upholds the idea of the First Amendment.

Essentially the Internet has democratized news discussion – which is a good thing. There is a difference between news discussion and news gathering. It’s simple enough for people to sit, read something, and write what they feel and think about it. More discourse is a good thing. But that still leaves an important job for journalists. We’ve got to give them something to read and think about.

In Out of Print, Arianna Huffington said that “traditional media just need to realize the online world isn’t the enemy…it’s the thing that will save them, if they fully embrace it.” I agree. News media need to invest in developing a business model style sheet. In a free market society there is money to be made. It's not an easy task...if it were I probably wouldn't be sitting here right now.

The quality of what they have to sit and read and think about is another discussion. Because profits aren’t ideal news organizations are cutting back – big time. It takes money to gather the news and produce a product attractive to advertisers who think it will be attractive to their target audience.

Alterman’s evidence and discussion of democracy toward the end of his article was detailed and substantive, one thing he didn’t really dive into was the broadcast side of the mainstream media.

I just got back from National Association of Broadcasters annual convention in Las Vegas. NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr delivered the keynote address and within the first 2 minutes came right out and said “our model is broken.” He said it’s broken because of technology like the iPod, smart cell phones and YouTube. YouTube’s tagline is broadcast yourself and broadcast is our business. That point was something that I’ve seen multiple times as a user of YouTube myself…but never really thought about it like that.

The “Digital Door” opened…a while ago. Every television station has to walk through it on February 17, 2009 when analog signal is cut off and the only thing out there is a digital one. It’s as if the news controllers are not in the position to grasp the importance of throwing their stations and papers at DSL speed through that digital door.

As a student, news consumer and potential professional I have to run through that door myself. I need to learn everything that I can about changing technology, the consumer market and how to package content and substance in a way that will engage new and old viewers.

Stations and newsrooms are cutting back on their staffs and budgets. As a graduating senior, it’s scary. I was standing at the resume board in Vegas praying someone would take mine and an older gentlemen came up to me and started simple conversation. Asked if I was graduating and if I was worried about the business and finding a job. Essentially he tried to scare the heck out of me. He said the business is changing and it’s not like the good old days…you don’t know what you’re getting into. You get the point.

I told him that I was going to remain optimistic because that’s all that I could do and I had no intention of finding a new industry. I was polite but didn’t appreciate his warning as if this was the last NAB conference EVER because everything was collapsing as we were standing there.

That conversation gave me a momentary sense of panic. But I realized that yes the business is changing – clearly. But it’s not all for the bad. The profession of journalism still has an important role in news consumers and commentators daily lives. We have to adapt to their needs and find ways to give them what they need to know how they want it.

News producers and consumers converge each and every day. Viewers are playing a more important role in media coverage. People want to know what is going to improve the quality of their lives, keep them safe, and what’s going on in their community. Enter the “So what? Who Cares?” factor coined by one of my professors that I carry near and dear. Let people decide what they want to read, what they want to watch, what they care about. People still want the words, the pictures and the information… maybe just not on their doorstep.