Is there a future for newspapers?




Wanda Lloyd, speaking at Leadership Montgomery's
Lunch with Leaders series, First United Methodist Church

I was honored to be the speaker for the March 13 Leadership Montgomery Lunch with Leaders series. The most common question was "Will there always be a newspaper?" My response later.

My presentation, "The Evolution of News," included a look back at newspapers over the past decade or so -- since I have been in Montgomery as executive editor of the Montgomery Advertiser, the current state of newspapers and the future of news. Here are some highlights:

PAST

• A minority of people in the Central Alabama market had access to computers in their homes.
• In 2004 when I arrived in Montgomery, we were primarily a print product. Our online staff members didn't even show up for work until about 10 p.m. or later to post stories that would appear in the next day's newspaper. We hardly ever updated the site during the day.
• We determined that as the capital city newspaper, we had to own state government coverage and we committed resources in that area.
• With added resources, we recommitted to watchdog journalism and a strong state government team in this capital city.
• Newspapers tried to be all things to all people -- all the national and international news, full stock reports, full TV listings seven days a week, daily staff editorials and multiple letters to the editor, complete national sports stats.
• One of our most important target reader groups was women, especially moms with children still living at home.

PRESENT

• Demographics have changed in the market. The percentage of people who have computer access has greatly increased.
• The Web is a 24/7 business and requires staffing to meet the information demands.
• We know that our print readers are primarily older, at least 50 and up for the most part. And even people in their 50s and older access us digitally as well.
• Most people don't wait for the newspaper to track stocks, weather, sports stats
• News is carried via social media – including text messaging and the newspaper’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, which push people to the Advertiser’s stories online.
• Print readers have full access to digital products and the electronic edition of the print newspaper
• Newspapers have invested in technology for reporters and photographers and related training, especially for video production.

FUTURE

• First, some things won't change. Traditional values of accuracy, good writing, ethics will continue to be the foundation of credible journalism.
• Consumers need to understand the difference between authoritative journalism and stream-of-conscience blogging (not this blog, of course).
• News organizations are hiring people with the capacity for innovative thinking.
• There may be more free-distribution models.
• We will probably see more consolidation of functions, such as  off-site design and printing, and more compact sized newspapers.
• News websites may allow users to order up the kind of information they want and design the pages based on personal interests.
• News staffs may get smaller and may be restructured to deliver news for the 2st century.
• Newspapers will be more engaging with their local audiences, such as blogging, community writers, local commentary voices and writing.

Now, for that important question: "Will there always be a newspaper?"

My response is yes, at least for the generation of adults now at least 50 years and older for the rest of our lives. However, if I had a to make a decision about whether small and medium-sized communities will have a newspaper seven days a week, I would suggest dropping the Monday print edition pretty soon. In many location, Monday's is the smallest newspaper of the week with the least amount of resources. The exception would be in communities with pro sports teams that play on Sunday. The Times-Picayune in New Orleans is doing that already.

What do you think is the future of newspapers and delivery of news products? Please join the conversation with a comment below.

(Thanks to Stacia Robinson for the quick snapshot of me above.)

Byron Pitts inspires, encourages young journalists

Broadcast correspondent Byron Pitts speaking at Region III NABJ conference
in Charlotte, NC, on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University

 

The National Association of Black Journalists -- the largest organization of journalists of color -- has annual conventions in big cities, sometimes so big and so expensive that many of our members are not able to attend, That's why the regional conference in Nashville on March 9 was a welcome event to many journalists and students who don't normally have access to their veteran and successful peers.

Yours truly was honored to participate on a panel of top newsroom leaders for participants who have an interest in building their careers toward management ranks.

The highlight of the day's event was the keynote address by broadcast veteran Byron Pitts, who is leaving CBS News after many years and heading to a new position at ABC News. Pitts, a self-described "mama's boy," said he had to overcome stuttering and being less than a top student in his journey to network news.

Pitts challenged the group of about150 attendees at the NABJ event to dare to dream, just as he did as a young kid growing up in the rough East Baltimore, yet he dared to dream that he would someday be a correspondent for the CBS show "60 Minutes." 

Here is some of the audience reaction, per tweets during the event (#nabjr3conf):

@nabjprez2010: If your dream is only about you, then it's not big enough. @byronpitts quoting Deion Sanders @nabjr3conf

@NABJDigital: RT @skyphoto: .@byronpitts tells #NABJ: "Dream new dreams!" #NABJR3conf

 @drsyb: We must do what we have to do to be successful. Young people need us to pour blessings into them.  @ByronPitts #NABJR3CONF

@drsyb: The most valuable real estate today ends in ".com.". Encourage people to create their opportunities. @ByronPitts #nabjr3conf

@NABJDigital: RT @TenishaCNN: "I'll leave you w/ my momma always told me, 'Don't tell me God ain't good" -@byronpitts #nabjr3conf

(Thanks to Kathy Times, former NABJ president,for photo of Pitts above.)

Tribute to a young journalist, Maya Jackson Randall



Maya J. Randall

 

It is always sad when a young person loses a battle with life. I am particularly saddened at the news that my friend, Harold Jackson recently lost his daughter, Maya. to a rare form of leukemia. Maya was a colleague --  a consumer finance reporter at the Wall Street Journal.

I am saddened because Harold has been a lifelong friend. We met as high school students at the Southern Regional Press Institute at Savannah State University. We both pursued media careers. Harold surpassed me in education, having earned a Ph.D. in communications. He runs his own international PR/marketing firm in Atlanta.

I am saddened because Maya is just three years older than my own daughter, Shelby. Even though I've known Maya's father all these years, Shelby and I met Maya for the first time about a year ago when Maya and I both were speakers at the still-strong Press Institute in Savannah. My friend Harold introduced me as the keynote speaker that day.

I am saddened because, in addition to her husband, Jeremy, Maya leaves behind a son who will not grow up with his mother's loving care.

I am saddened because the voice of one of the nation's best reporters has been silenced. (Read about Maya's award-winning work in tributes below.)

Maya's friends have set up a fund to fight cancer in her honor.

Here are links to notes about Maya. Blessings to the Jackson and Randall families.

Tributes to Maya
http://www.gofundme.com/mjrmf
http://www.talkingbiznews.com/2/her-editor-remembers-maya-jackson-randall 

A chance to prepare future media room leaders

In 2006 the Region III (southeast) conference of the National Association of Black Journalists met in Montgomery, Ala. A fledgling group of journalists came together to host the convention. We were small, not very strong, but somehow, we managed to pull together a pretty good program of discussions about digital skills and covering civil rights in the South.

Among the highlights for me was the honor of being named to the Region III Hall of Fame for NABJ. In this photo, I am accepting the award.

This week I am heading to Charlotte, N.C., to attend the 2013 Region III conference, where I have been asked to be part of a discussion about how to get into newsroom management. Despite the drastic changes in the news business, there are still great opportunities and we need to keep teaching our younger colleagues how to become media leaders.

Region II is made up of NABJ members and chapters in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi.

Just getting started

I am a veteran journalist, newsroom leader and media diversity advocate. I care about news, community issues and I am an eternal learner. I plan to share articles and commentary about issues I care about from my perch in Montgomery, Ala.

I have written Sunday columns in the Montgomery Advertiser for almost nine years. Now it is time to write for myself and a broader audience.

I retired from daily journalism in March 2013, which now gives me the opportunity to opine on topics without fear of conflict of interest. I'm not a particularly political person, perhaps because as a journalist I've had to avoid partisan activities.

I am married, with one adult daughter and, for just over a year, my husband and I have been taking care of Penny, an aging Beagle who was left with us one Christmas by daughter Shelby. I'm sure Penny will creep into my writing because she is such a big part of our lives.

My husband, Willie, is a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War. He has dedicated a lot of his time to helping other vets navigate the Veterans Administration bureaucracy so they can get their benefits.