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Journalists’ Typewriters Go Silent

Trace Sharp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:54:16 +0000

Photo By Adam Tinworth

Journalists continue to be laid off in Tennessee this week as The Tennessean eliminated roughly 30 positions on July 9th which ranges from those reporting on the street to account execs to press operators.

It’s not a new story. It’s happening to many of us and it will continue to. The big question that comes to mind, as I’m living it as well, is where are we going to go.

In an article from last December, Eric Deggans asked a very good question. Where are the middle-class journalists going to go?

Now, I see a media industry where some of the most talented, experienced and middle-class writers are being cut loose from the operation. Much as you want to avoid hyperbole and overreaction, it feels like another turn toward the online economic model — where mostly owners and big managers are paid decent wages, and costs are kept low by keeping a tight lid on wages for most workers.

Many of us have tried to evolve and remain relevant with new technology, but there are other issues that must be addressed.

One major thing is with so many media organizations, many times bloggers are filling in the gaps with free content. From an economic perspective, it’s smart business. Don’t get me wrong, it’s just a sign of the times but it does create a gap for unemployed journalists seeking employment.

The jobs just aren’t there.

I’ve spoken to several folks who have been downsized. Many of us are attempting to think outside the box on where we fit in. Blogs are not generating a livable wage unless there is a sound business model with access to businesses that will advertise and there has to be some semblance of a traditional advertising plan.

The online market is filled with blogs, but you will find that most of them, unless established or part of a larger organizations, are not making money.

Of course, editors and publishers have made some significant mistakes in print journalism by focusing on everything but the kitchen sink except covering investigative/breaking news. Journalists, especially in smaller papers, work on sections designed to specifically sell car ads, holiday promotions and the list goes on ad nauseum. What wasn’t recognized is that maybe readers picked up on that people were spread thin. Advertisers tired of special promotions. I’m sure there is more, but the key came down to that although the industry talked about this for years, many organizations didn’t not make revisions it was too late. Other thrived, such as Knox News, that realized they had to build their online presence and have received national attention for creating a viable product while balancing with its print product.

All this analysis doesn’t change the fact that journalists downsized over the past few years will have to make adjustments due to the lack of options and that some media organizations are going to go outside the paid structure for free, quality product.

I think we will see in the coming months that journalists will end up taking jobs out of their chosen profession. Not out of choice, but out of necessity.

But with desperate times, our society usually sees new and fresh ideas coming out of adversity. I think journalists will find a new path, it’s just going to take time.Similar Posts:

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Wearing The Inner Fedora And Getting The Scoop

Trace Sharp — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:06:25 +0000

The world of news is continually changing. A testament would be to the social media networks covering the death of Michael Jackson. The thing to remember though is that even with the instant nature of breaking news (which is still being touted 16 hours later on CNN as I type this) that we have forgotten some important things.

And Joe Larkins reminds us of one scrappy reporter that held the news reins earlier this week regarding the unusual disappearance of an American governor.

If there is ever a reason that newspapers should NOT go away, think Gina Smith. Smith is the reporter who broke the story about the Governor of South Carolina who was not hiking the Appalachian trail but was instead strolling through the old Grand Tetons while down in Argentina. Actually what I find amazing is that any news organization would be interested in spending the manpower on staking out TWO locations (the airport in Atlanta and in Columbia) to meet the governor. I think it is safe to say that Gina Smith will have several job offers here very soon if she is not fielding them already. She has what is missing in so many newsrooms these days…imagination, instincts and the support of managers who actually care about real news instead of what passes for news anymore.

Smith had the support of managers that allowed her to track a story and apparently gave her the breathing room to do it correctly. This is the difference between investigating the news and just reporting news, such as the case of the mass celebrity deaths this week. Of course people are oddly intrigued with the death of famous folks, but the reality is that there is actually more news going on than the death of the smiling angel, the laugh of the good-hearted second banana and the King of Pop.

I can only hope that managers in news organization remember the story of Gina Smith, who was allowed to go with her instincts and not halted with excuses of budget cuts or lack of administrative interest.

Don’t get me wrong, the way the Jackson story broke yesterday was mesmerizing as Twitter and Facebook sputtered a bit to keep up with the volume of interest from concerned fans. I was glued as well, comparing Twitter’s coverage with the cautious apprehension of CNN, which I write about here.

However, with the news cycle being about as long as a Twizzler these days, there are more stories out there on the horizon that will need investigating. As Christian Grantham calls it, we need the Smiths of the world wearing their inner fedoras because the Michael Jackson news cycle will end as well.

They always do.Similar Posts:

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I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

Scott Adcox — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:04:12 +0000

Trace isn’t going to mention it here, but something happened over the last couple of days that we’d be silly not to recognize. She broke a national story over at her own blog, Newscoma.

The details of the story, the discussion over the issues, etc.–we’ll leave that over to her blog where it belongs. In fact, there are already over one hundred comments on her post along with several trackbacks from other bloggers who have linked to it, so there’s no need in rehashing any of that here.

What I think we should recognize here is that Trace is actually out there doing all of the things that we talk about here. She’s walking the walk. Without working for a newspaper, she broke a story (a big one) on her very own site. And other people are doing this every day too.

Have there been some instances of big media outlets stealing her thunder a little bit? Sure there have. That was pointed out yesterday as well. But there has also been recognition for her by some bigger media outlets too. And this is just one story. What if she breaks another one in the next week or month?

Just one person.

It can be done! Trace is doing it! It’s great to see! And on a personal note, I’m very proud of her for pulling it off! I’m sure there are plenty of papers in her area who would love to have broken a story like that!

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First Thoughts Of An Unemployed Journalist

Trace Sharp — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:27:31 +0000

Your kind and gentle hostess here at NewTechZilla has taken a bit of time off from our endeavor here because the inevitable finally happened. I was downsized at my newspaper and according to my publishers, it came down to money.

Scott was very kind in letting me go through the six degrees of seperation and work through some of the things that go along with being laid off. It was not unexpected although it was still shocking. I’ve never been laid off before.

After I reeled through the various emotions that accompany such news, I realized it was time to have a plan, and also a time to take off and breath. Sometimes when the other shoe finally drops, there is a sense of relief as well as a constricting fear of the unknown.

My plan is not so much of a manifesto as that it is to deal with the realities head on. So I made a list:

As I’ve never filed unemployment in my life, I am going down that road this month. I have a little money put aside so I’m taking a couple of weeks to figure out what the next road I want to take to and the best journey for me long term.
I am not rushing into any decisions. This has been advised to me by a great deal of people. On the other hand, I’ve never been very good around the house so there is that. I know I’m going to get bored very quickly.
I am open to any and all opportunities.
One thing that I believe is very important for any of us in the journalism field who is confronted with this dilemma is to keep any and all options open. It’s also important to be honest with ourselves and prospective employers on what we are willing to do and what we aren’t. It’s imperative that we have a business model, but of course, the business this time is ourselves.
If you are reading this site, then you have already committed to an online persona and have honed your image on the Internet. This goes for all of us as we must determine if we want to expand that presence online and if this is a realistic path to take.

As Scott and I became partners in this venture months ago, the one issue that we discussed at length was me taking a more active role in learning the latest technology and how much of it perplexes me. In the near future, I will address some of the obstacles that I run into with certain limitations regarding lack of once available software, my search on the job market and some of the paths that others like myself are encountering in these bleak times for newspapers.

I want to add though, these are not “bleak” times for news. As I’ve said before, news distribution is evolving. We are in the midst of a revolution. It’s a matter of recognizing the right direction to head toward.

We will take this journey together.

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The Alien News Network And A Link Dump

Trace Sharp — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:09:07 +0000

Been a crazy few weeks for Scott and I here at NewsTechZilla. I have been downsized as predicted and he’s been carrying much of the load. I wish to thank him and get back to bidness.

Hopefully things will get back to normal.

Let’s scoot around these innertubes, shall we?

Reading Online Comments Shouldn’t Be Icky – Jack Lail
Billie is one of the main reasons that Scott and I bonded. Seriously. – Michael Silence
John Robinson thinks exclusives are dead – John Robinson
Spotlight on a new blog to me called Photography is not a crime- Carlos Miller
Every community needs one of these - Knoxville Social Media Association
Drivers at the Minneapolis Star are threatening a strike. Jarvis gives his take on it. – Buzz Machine
Dave Winer remembers how a newspaper treated him when he was a kid. There is a lesson here, campers – Scripting News
Morley Safer is not a fan of citizen journalism – TV Newser

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Evolving Because We Don’t Have A Choice

Trace Sharp — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:49:54 +0000

The news continues to be bad for many journalists so I keep trying to find the good ones. As a person that is still on the cusp of whether or not she will have a job by the end of the year, it’s disheartening to always see bad news.

I had trouble finding any good news, quite frankly, about the print news industry. I guess the “bleed it leads” standard will always apply even when we are talking about the unknown future of print journalism.

Despite it all, I found a couple of things:

From the Weatherford Democrat:

The images will live forever.

The heartbreaking moment caught in time when firefighter Chris Fields carried the body of baby Baylee Almon from the rubble of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.

The fiery Twin Towers just seconds after two airplanes crashed into them and minutes before the buildings collapsed into an enormous cloud of dust on Sept. 11, 2001.

The smiling face of then President-elect Barack Obama holding hands with wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha as thousands cheered on election night 2008.

These three historic photographs, displayed on front pages everywhere, exemplify the staying power of newspapers.

It’s true. Look at sales of historic days of papers. I even have a copy of Dewey beats Truman somewhere.

And there is a different way to look at things. The industry is no different than other industries right now.

Newspapers will begin to heal when the nation’s economy rises from its knees and people spend money again. Business conditions are bleak now, but eventually Americans will buy more cars, houses, vacation packages and restaurant meals.

It is disheartening to read all the bad news. It’s frightening waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We can’t count ourselves out yet though. If we do that, then we have already lost the battle. It’s just a matter of evolving.

As is life, we are just going to have to adjust in the same way that autoworkers or business owners are.

We don’t have a choice.

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Preparing For Life After Newspapers

Trace Sharp — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:37:51 +0000

I’m one of the lucky ones because I still have a job. So many journalists right now have been laid off, furloughed, bought out or are sitting on the cusp that it’s hard to keep up with the magnitude of it all. When this is your chosen profession, for some of us, it’s like waiting on the other shoe to drop.

And, unfortunately, it can take an emotional toll.

For people in management, especially those like myself who wavers in the middle area where you have people below you and then owners/publishers above you, the best thing I can tell you is that when that wave hits of “Oh no, more layoffs” and wondering if you are on the list, it’s honestly hard to keep focused.

I’ve been thinking about the best way for those of us who keep waiting, where there will be no buyouts (with just a trip to the unemployment line) and I’ve attempted to compile a list of common sense ideas to maintain our sanity. Believe me, so much of what we are doing is hit or miss and I’m the first to admit I’ve made some mighty mistakes along the way but I’ve had a few good ideas. If you work in news anyway, that may be a questionable statement, but here are a few ideas:

FOCUS ON WRITING THE NEWS: If you are reporter, challenge yourself to just keep your head in writing news. It’s overwhelming to think about all that’s going on in the big offices that are making decisions about your future, but keep going after the next big story.
START LEARNING NEW TECHNOLOGY: I’m constantly trying to learn new technology and sometimes it is daunting. Find what you are good with and consistently work toward building your brand, which is you, online. Also start networking with other people you find to be interesting and that you might want to talk to in the future. Remember, no one is going to do this for you. I have learned to that there are times I’m going to have to ask for help as I’m not 100 percent what I’m doing.
YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS MAY ALSO BE YOU GREATEST WEAKNESSES: This is a tough one, I know. What are you good at? At the smaller paper I work at, we layout, we write stories, we handle customers, we don’t have a beat. If you don’t have the luxury of being just one kind of writer/reporter, find out what you do the best. My best assets are crime news, features, networking with community leaders and editorials. I’m not as good at copy editing. The same goes with what you may be looking at online. What is your strengths as you delve into the online world. Do you blog well? Are you more of an analyst than a story teller. Are you more comfortable on a social network?
IF YOU GET FIRED, WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?: Are you ready for that shoe to drop. Many of us will not get a buyout so what will you do next? Have you put any thought into it?
DON’T DWELL ON WHAT YOU CAN’T FIX: The bottom line is that it’s the economy for most of us. Don’t lose yourself in a wave of emotional turmoil, although that’s easier to say than it is to actually put into practice. It’s is extremely difficult to think that you might be losing your job, and most people I know have a passion for what there chosen career and could be making money doing something else, quite frankly. Don’t let your passion for your craft dissipate because of the situation at hand. The best thing may to focus on is how you are moving to the next level. Determine what that next level is.

These are just a few things. Mark Potts at the Recovering Journalist has one of the best lists I’ve even read about Life After Journalism and is a must read.

The bottom line is that those of us who are left are fortunate to have a job, but there is also the reality that we haven’t seen what’s next. To say there isn’t a level of fear of the unknown would be disingenuous. These are turbulent times for those of us who have had to take on more responsibilities with the addition of knowing that more layoffs are coming.

Are you ready?

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Your Words Belong To You

Trace Sharp — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:19:24 +0000

Those pesky terms and conditions are something we all need to be reading. Especially if you write something online and it can be used for a book or monetary gain later on.

Case in point: True Mom Confessions. Two Tennessee bloggers are taking on the case.

Kat Coble breaks down the situation.

Few things strike a raw nerve in me more than seeing Lazy Books published. NOTHING makes me angrier than THIS.

This woman is having a major publishing success–a half-page interview in EW for a first time author is serious gold–and talking about writing her book.

She is a blogger. This “book” she has “written” consists of cherry-picking the best comments from her blog. Except it isn’t even a blog anymore. It’s worse. It’s one of those crappy forum things where people can go and tell their stories.

Her “writing” of her “book” is nothing more than getting other people to take their time, effort and experience, post it to her site and then she chooses it for her “book”. It’s lazy writing. Hell’s Hindparts, it’s not even WRITING. It’s theft of intellectual property.

Aunt B. says your writing is yours and gives several examples of what could happen

Usually, frankly, your intellectual property isn’t worth much, if anything. But it’s still yours.

And there are folks who like to make a living off of other people’s work (it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the woman listed as the “author” of True Mom Confessions: Real Moms Get Real writes for the Huffington Post). Don’t make it easy for them. Your words belong to you and you have a right to benefit from them before anyone else does.

Read the Terms of Service on places. Make sure your words stay your own.

What say you?

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Comments In Your Online Community

Trace Sharp — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:25:46 +0000

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Comments can be the best friend you have ever had, or the bane of your existence. The issue comes down to while building your online community, comments are a way to see if your writing has wings.

On the other hand, many of you comments may have moved to Facebook or Twitter. And, you have to lead on your blog and participate in your comment section if you want to maintain some control.

In some ways, blogs ARE like newspapers as they establish a sense of community. Readers feels a sense of ownership. However, there has to be leadership and this goes the same with blogs or things might get out of control. And, campers, it’s your blog so you need to guide where you want your community to go.

And, there are times that it gets a bit tedious, just like in the news business.

The Journalist Iconoclast explains:

Many people complain that comments after blogs are often mean, banal or worse, and if that’s the case, blame the blog author. When comments devolve into a stream of banality, it’s because the blogger has actively chosen to allow a comment ghetto to take hold.

Take control of your comments section and you’ll be well on your way to building a strong community around your a blog. A strong community will drive traffic, make your blog a better product and help you find more topics to blog about.

Watch what is going on and you can build traffic to your blog. On the other hand, you have to give what you want. Do you wants to be linked, then you must link. If you want comments, then you need to make sure you comment.

It’s really that simple.Similar Posts:

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Is Twitter Doomed?

Trace Sharp — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:05:26 +0000

Is Twitter doomed now that it’s gone mainstream?

– As Ashton Kutcher becomes the first to collect 1 million followers on Twitter and Oprah Winfrey sends out her first tweet, tech observers are debating: Does Friday mark a new peak for the microblogging service? Or the beginning of its demise?

Personally, I don’t think Twitter is doomed although I do think it’s evolving.

Last week in the rural area I’m from, our mayor was on television talking about Twitter in a small segment on the local news affiliate. I thought it was doomed then. (I tease.)

I don’t really follow celebrities on Twitter. I follow other writers, friends, people around the blogosphere and folks I find interesting. I know people that love following famous people and interact with them. It’s not really my thing but there is a sense, for some I guess, of breaking down that wall between the famous and their fans.

When it comes down to it, as I always say, do what you want to do. The only issue that I’m watching somewhat hesitantly is Twitter becoming more noisy than it already is, but I guess that’s part of the world of technology.Similar Posts:

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