The Tennessean has an editorial on social media from Mark Silverman.

Most important, you’re now becoming your own editor. You can weigh the information our reporters develop, along with information provided by all of these other sources. You can mine the databases we post to dig deeply into issues. And, you can trade information and opinions with your neighbors.

Increasingly, people will see beyond narrow niches. Perhaps the new definition of mass media is a collection of niches woven together by social networking.

The good thing about this article, which you should read because it’s a good one, is that you are seeing more newspapers talking about social and online media.Similar Posts:

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A video of Hearst Newspaper Division President Steve Swartz telling the staff of the Seattle PI about the dire situation that the paper is in is below. This is something that journalists haven’t seen much of, and that is the actual conversations that are going on in the newsrooms.

Not only is there a video of the conversation, but it’s being discussed on David McCumber’s blog.

I know, because that’s me – the guy who, as one poster put it, “doesn’t look like he’s missed any meals.” (Thanks a lot for that belly-level camera angle.)

Yes, it was an excruciating seven minutes. What that video doesn’t show, and what was the hardest for me, was the view from where I stood – the arrayed faces of an incredible staff. I hired many of them, promoted some of them, and have talked journalism at one time or another with every one of them. Their faces told much more than my fidgeting discomfiture did.

It’s a fine mess we find ourselves in – but I’m not giving up yet. This newspaper is for sale. No, it may not be the most attractive investment around (What is the most attractive investment around? Your 401k? Your house? Yeah, right) but that doesn’t mean we won’t find someone who cares about Seattle and about journalism, and sees promise where others see only loss.

If you have some time, read the comments. There are some interesting suggestions from readers of the newspaper which opens some interesting dialog. Comments can sometimes be very, very useful.

Here’s the clip:

H/T Left of the Dial

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