This has been a busy week, hence the radio silence. I have quite a few posts "burbling" for next week, but none ready for prime time yet.
However, I did want to share one thought about the future of print media. I actually started thinking about it last Friday morning when I attended a roundtable with the new editor of the weekly community newspaper held by our local Chamber of Commerce. It became more relevant when I learned about the Steve Rubel-PC Mag-Jim Louderback silliness.
Of late, and from many corners, "we" (that would be pundits, publishers, bloggers, flacks and poets. Not me in the royal we sense) have been discussing the pending death of the newspaper and print media. To be replaced by the Internet, blogs, citizen journalism. Whatever. Maybe.
I think it is quite likely that the Internet and other "immediate" media (mobile phones for example) will shortly become a primary, if not the primary, source for breaking news. If they aren’t already in many communities. Replacing the current king, the TV. One boob tube for another really 🙂
But, I do not think that online media yet replace some of the best things about traditional media. And not just because we have birdcages and puppies.
Which is why this is yet another prematurely reported media "death" along with the poor press release.
What are the best things? Newsprint on your fingers as you delve into the Sunday Times. Understanding what the editor thought was THE story by what you see on the front page — whether it is the daily paper or the local weekly. Taking the paper to the beach, just because, and hoping it doesn’t blow away. Not to mention the other places people read print media where they just don’t tend to bring the computer. You know where I mean.
The deeper thinking we find in monthly magazines and features. Columnists. Pictures. Ads. Yes, ads. Dirty little secret, but people like the ads. I always check the top right corner of page 3 of the NYT. The simple fact of the time we carve from our day to "read the paper" — it is different time than the time we spend online. At least for me.
Yes, we find a lot of great thinking in blogs. Some of the best, and often as good or better than the print media. But… there’s a discipline in a newspaper column, the limited number of words where every one counts. It’s something special. At least for me.
And as Robert French reminds us, if we are trying to reach farmers in Appalachia, we better look to traditional media.
Will we see the shrinking and possibly the eventual extinction of the metropolitan daily, with a few national papers and online surviving to serve the bulk of our news needs? Probably. Eventually. But my bet says that the local paper will last much longer. It serves a basic community need that bits and bytes just cannot. A regular citizen stands very little chance of seeing his, or his child’s, picture in the NYT or Time magazine. On or off line.Or even on TV.
But the local rag cares. And that matters. A lot. And if it is your kid, there’s no number of online printouts and links sent to friends that match the feel, the flavor of seeing it in print.
Back to Steve and Jim: So glad to hear you’ve patched it up but come on… I suppose it is a reminder that things said in Twitter aren’t private, but really, the exchange doesn’t merit the time spent on it by the collective PR and media blogosphere.
So, I’ll just leave you all with a suggestion. If by some chance you are getting a print publication (paid or comp) that you don’t have time or inclination to read, cancel the subscription. And if you can’t get off the comp list (it does happen folks, trust me), donate the publication. Take it to the local high school computer lab. Or the barber shop. Or a homeless shelter. Just because you don’t read it, for whatever reason, doesn’t mean someone else won’t be thrilled to get it. But don’t chuck it in the bin. Trees are far too precious for that.
On another note, thanks to Kent Newsome for his kind words. I am indeed thinking about my candidates for Thinking Blogger and will write next week.
Finally, my sympathy and prayers to those affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. There are no words.