'Why journalists deserve low pay'

Beyond the provocative title of this essay from the Christian Science Monitor is a fascinating discussion of the economic value created -- or not created -- by journalists. Economist Robert G. Picard argues that technology is "de-skilling" journalism:

To create economic value, journalists and news organizations historically relied on the exclusivity of their access to information and sources, and their ability to provide immediacy in conveying information. The value of those elements has been stripped away by contemporary communication developments. Today, ordinary adults can observe and report news, gather expert knowledge, determine significance, add audio, photography, and video components, and publish this content far and wide (or at least to their social network) with ease. And much of this is done for no pay.

His conclusion: Journalists must create and distribute information that's not available elsewhere. "Every paper will have to be the undisputed leader in terms of their quality and quantity of local news."

Duh. But what Picard then suggests is that newspapers become regional or national leaders in reporting on topics unique to their area, then sell their coverage to other publications.

It's a very interesting read.

Who needs tickets?

I wonder if any reporter might be looking into what appears to be a large increase in police presence on roads and streets everywhere in the past few weeks. My cynical side says, governments are short on revenue, so they're telling police to write more tickets. It would be interesting to check this out. As tickets make their way through the court system, the rate of convictions vs. dismissals would be interesting, too.

Or am I the only one noticing the extra speed traps? (I haven't gotten a ticket, so no sour grapes here. Just curious.)

Cross-training workshop

With traditional newsroom roles both blurring and expanding, journalists may feel a little lost at times. Help is here! On Thursday morning, June 11, at NIU-DeKalb, NINA is offering two sections of cross training followed by a session of new-media training. All will be taught by award-winning journalists.

Sessions include: News Reporting for Non-Reporters, News Photography for Non-Photographers, and Basic Audio and Video Production.

Details, including a printable flier, are here. It's only $20 and you can pay at the door. Please register with me by June 5.

Headline fail

I think every newspaper has done this at least once, but this is a particuarly impressive example.

Your future, part 2

Continued from previous post ...



In the earlier portion of her NINA talk, NIU Business Dean Schoenbachler recommended reading the book, “Strengths Finder,” by Tom Rath, as a step toward knowing and presenting yourself well.

The book helps you map your career. Learn your strengths, then develop a plan to build, grow and develop them, rather than spending so much time addressing weaknesses. Schoenbachler recommended asking yourself questions like:

• What are my strengths?
• What are my passions? How do I implement those passions?
• What are my hobbies?
• What organizations am I a part of?
• What relevant experience do I have?
• What is my story? Can I tell a compelling story about myself?
• What do I hate about my day?
• What is my unique selling proposition? How/why am I different?
• What is my value proposition – what I bring to my market or my job?

See your future. Be your future, Danny

Denise Schoenbachler, NIU College of Business Dean, offered a useful, three-part presentation for journalists at NINA’s recent Spring Conference. Part one was about knowing and presenting yourself well. Part two was growing and maintaining your personal network. And the final piece was: Be prepared for the future.

Here's a notebook dump from that third portion:

“The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different.” – Peter Drucker

College graduates 10 years from now will get jobs that don’t even exist today.

Growth industries in the near future: Health care, education, alternative energy. Growth industries are always driven by demographics, technology, economics and government policy.

As journalists, we are more in the know than most people about where things are headed.

Ask: “What can I do to make myself a bigger part of the future?”

Smart questions:
What will be the growth industries?
Who will lead the growth companies?
Who will be the industry leaders?
What credentials will I need?
What experience will I need?
What are the industry trends to watch?

All speakers agreed that journalism is in major transition, but that opportunities will abound for those who understand them and take advantage.

Schoenbachler: “Historically, great things have come out of hard times.”

Barbara Vitello, Daily Herald: “This is the crucible for our industry. We need to light the Bunsen burner. … I would like to see bold moves. If institutions aren’t going to do that, then maybe we as individuals need to.”

Ray Long: “We’re going to survive and we’re going to come out strong. We are news collection agencies – we just have to find more formats to put them on.”

And more useful material I ran across while writing this:

Seeing the Gorilla: a column by Richard Wiseman at Forbes magazine, part of a package called “Opportunity Knocks.” Sorting our your career plan? This is a good place to start.

Twittering away

Maybe I was wrong. Twitter might have a purpose after all.

In the event you’ve been hiding in a bunker for six months: Twitter is a free, microblogging service. You type up to 140 characters about what you’re doing at any particular moment, hit “update” and instantly alert your “followers” (that term always makes me feel like a cult leader). They can read these messages on their computers or as cell-phone text messages.

Twitter may be responsible for the biggest wave of inane conversation since the 1970s CB radio fad. Thanks to celebrity Twitter – the most vacuous example – I can get up-to-the minute bulletins whenever Demi Moore reads a whole chapter from a book, or when John Mayer moves his bowels. Not to mention the people I actually know, Twittering away their time, chronicling every mundane task and thought. Fascinating.

A few weeks ago, I launched my own Twitter feed as a way to make fun of Twitterers. A sampling of my early Tweets:

Ran out of Scotch tape this morning at my desk. Installed new roll in dispenser.
8:56 AM Mar 25th

Blew my nose just now. May do so again as necessary.
9:03 AM Mar 25th

I think I’m going to sneeze. ... Nope.
9:42 AM Mar 26th

Shockingly, this running monologue of deep thoughts attracted six followers – all people I know, but some of whom I hadn’t heard from in years. People would ask me, “When are you going to give in and Twitter for real?”

“Never,” I’d reply.

Most of Twitter is still narcissistic drivel. But, upon further review … Twitter also has legitimate, productive potential for those of us in the news business. At NINA’s April 24 Spring Conference, Ray Long of the Chicago Tribune showed a variety of ways the service can be used to promote the news product.

Here’s where the whole “citizen journalist” idea might actually work. The professional journalist still gathers and delivers the story, but Twitter followers can help. Say, for instance, an apartment fire breaks out in your town. Using Twitter and the followers you’ve recruited, you can:

• Learn that the fire is going on, in case you’re not near a scanner.
• Tell readers that your paper has a reporter and photographer on the way. This posts to your Web site, alerts your followers to the story and even can send a text message to their cell phones if they so choose.
• Provide live coverage of the event, in short bursts via text message. 1 side of building engulfed in flames. … At least 4 fire depts here. … 8 units in apt building. … Evacuees standing outside.
• Find sources. Anybody know who owns this building? … Anybody heard from anyone who was around when fire started?
• Make the story interactive, while it’s happening. Your followers may text comments, replies, corrections and tips. Obviously information gathered this way needs to be verified, but it can provide a good start.

Basically, Twitter can serve as an amplifier for a reporter’s skills. You’d ask questions like this on the scene, anyway. This just allows you to ask additional people, quickly.

During and after the event, you can promote your Web site, and even provide a link to the story for users with mobile Internet.

Two good things are happening with this whole process: One, you’re engaging with your readers and giving them a greater sense of ownership in the news product. Two, you’re driving users to your Web site.

All of which is a far cry from being instantly updated when some long-lost friend clips her toenails. Which reminds me: I’m @JimKillam on Twitter, and I promise to start using it for something useful. I owe at least that much to my faithful-if-misguided followers.

And here's another Twitter article from Jill Geisler at Poynter.

It's NINA contest time

The Northern Illinois Newspaper Association's annual contest mailing is on its way to members. But you can find everything online now at the NINA Web site - contest rules & categories, entry forms, etc. The contest period is May 1, 2008, to April 30, 2009. Note the June 30 entry postmark deadline. Good luck!

Oh, the irony

Here's a fascinating video news report from 1981, about the advent of reading your daily newspaper ... on a computer. One editor's take: "We're not in it to make money. We're probably not going to lose a lot, but we aren't going to make much, either."

Thanks to Derek Wright at the Northwest Herald for sending this link.

e-Readers on the way

Amazon this week is expected to unveil a new, larger version of its Kindle device -- made especially for reading newspapers. Several other devices have hit the market, or will soon. Could this be news industry's answer to the iPod?

Here's a New York Times story on the subject.

And here's a less-optimistic piece, from TechCrunch.

No pig kissing

The most amusing swine flu story I've seen this week was in the Rockford Register Star. Capron Elementary School in Boone County is canceling its "Kiss the Pig" fundraiser ... out of concern for the health of the pig.