Journalism on the Brink? Can Digital Save It?

Attending this event tonight.

I've decided to write my notes here and mix them with my thoughts on the topic at hand. I'll do my best to keep track of the players for you. Refer to the link above for background information.

How do we get beyond all concerns about the future of newspapers?, Hanson poses to the audience.

To me it is not about the technology, at least not completely. How can we ensure news media are around relevant?

Cory Bergman: what will pay for journalism? ESPN is a competitor for every local news paper in America. I read it daily myself and as a result spend less time with local news about sports here in Seattle. So how can local media better connect local folks with local stores? This might be an advantage for local neighborhood blogs.

Paying for content doesn't work, well maybe for the Wall street Journalism, states Cory Haik.

We are used to paying for media though. We pay Cable TV bills, phone bills, etc. Is that because we can't use those services in the first place with out paying for it. The gatekeeper is the in the way.

Would an aggregations service work? Monica Guzman thinks there might be a balance between their own content and networked content. Cory concurs and adds that what people really need is what we do best, local coverage.

Local, local local says Corry Bergman, as they can't compete with the national media. However, they are facing strong economic pressures.

Ross notes that online news is not free. You have to pay for the internet, the computer, etc.

The public radio model works partially as it has spectrum, a nat'l public corp backing it, but especially because the audience (at least %10 of it) is willing to pay for it via pledge drives.

He speaks of mini fund drives that raise money for local stories until a journalist says I can investigate that and writes a story. (missed the reference to the show Sunday night at 8 on KUOW)

What about sites where 90% is free but the rest is special news that is paid for, wonders John Cook?

Dylan Wilbanks in the audience talks of bugmenot where you can get passwords to get around restrictions. I guess there will always be pilfering.

Cory Haik speaks of the true cost of news: lots of trimming going on, but has it been in the right way? What is expensive for big J journalism is the folks and time need to cover those stories.

Monica from the PI, speaks of being a one-person journalist. it is not as much about the article any more and a bit of a move towards the reporter, as we are sharing news in a conversational tone, and so you need a voice and a face to keep the relationship alive. Reporters are assuming risk that their organizations use to shoulder with this model. (I hope I don't slander anyone here!)

She does think it is exciting though.

Question from audience: any hope that local reporters with local access to special place will be of value as they have local knowledge.

John of TechFlash thinks there is. He says blogging is beat reporting. If you know what's going on, there's real power in that network. Not sure yet that a viable financial model there. Press pass is overrated he adds.

Cory Bergman, Publisher of MyBallad Blog notes that public officials are taking note of local blogs and including them.

With online media, it is possible to know who reads what (aggregated at least) Cory Haik notes as we can track them. You can't do this with newspapers.

Blooging is a longform of journalism, notes Monica. reporting is a process not a product, and you are letting people into that process. you tell your audience what you are working on and ask for questions to help shape your story. Exciting and fun she adds. Doesn't want to go back to the old way where that wasn't possible.

Ross of KUOW adds how people love great story tellers. And that with internet news, the paper is disaggregated as you can get your news where ever. This is not real news though if you think about it he reminds us. Sports, Entertainment media have cycles that just crank out stories all the time. The less sexy stuff like local city council meetings have a hard time competing for air time in this arena. (Until the viaduct needs to be replaced!)

Great stuff tonight I can't keep up with it all.

Establishing yourself as a singular trusted brand notes Hanson, and Monica follows up by finishing her thought that main media can focus on the high level deep journalism and stay out of the buzz.

Cory Bergam notes that the neighborhood blog hopes to be the neighborhood aggregator and being a connective tissue and let's people use the comments to keep the community conversation going on. %95 of tips come from comments on their blog, and %70 of content outside of the front page come from other sources besides themselves.

Partnering with a established news organization can help bolster niche journalism blogs, notes TechFlash editor John Cook. He's done some of the toughest story telling as a blogger, and speaks how daily beat reporting gets the news flowing. Social media keeps it circulating as the audience can comment on it.

Can the purpose of journalism be maintained while the need to make a profit? Ask an audience member. Business people need to be involved in these conversations. It is not a readership problem it is a money problem notes Corey Haik.

Will the traditional wall between the business side and news side come downs wonder Hanson.

Monica notes that the audience member's question is important. It is not where you work but what you do that defines you as a journalist.

Ross doesn't think public funding of journalism as a sole source is a good idea, as elected officials need to follow the money train and will have too much influence on the process.

I'm running out of steam. Writing and listening is hard to do, but it does keep me focused for awhile. Looking back on this I see that tweeting has affected my writing style. None the less, this would have been difficult to do via tweets methinks.