Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all! On a loving note, here are a couple of V-Day links I’ve scored up via Twitter:
- Politico: Power couples recall the first spark. There are some truly cute stories in here!
- 10,000 Words: Happy V-Day: Valentines for journalists.
- 10,000 Words: 30 must-have gifts for journalists.
As a visual journalist, I’m especially a fan of this one from the second link:
Things that I’ve been doing over the past few days (some of which are still works in progress):
- Working on my application for the Washington Program. I’ll be turning it in on Monday.
- Not checking Twitter for almost three days. This is due mostly to an economics exam (Money, Banking and Financial Institutions), about which I do not feel good about. The worst part is, this class is not required for my degree: I’m taking it purely out of my own interest in the current economic recession and want to learn background on it.
- Consolidating all my reading schedules for four classes into one document.
- Scanning film taken last weekend. I’ll be posting the best photos here, later this weekend.
On the side, I’ve been reading a lot about the journalism industry. I think the Time cover story by Walter Isaacson has fueled a lot of discussion, some of which I’ve been reading via links on Twitter. The variety of responses is stark. One of the most poignant and personal is this: NYU’s paper published a piece by its former editor-in-chief, who begins the feature with “I want someone to tell me I will be unemployed if I stay in journalism.” It’s a good but frightening read.
Other articles/pieces I’ve read regarding our industry, somewhat in response to the Time cover story and definitely in response to the economic crisis facing the media:
- The New York Times: Let’s Invent an iTunes for News — Just what it sounds like.
- The Big Money: Micro Economics: Why Steve Jobs and micropayments won’t save the media — A critical response to Isaacson’s article.
- The Washington Post: As Mainstream Exits D.C., Niche Media Tide Rises — A look at how the diminishing presence of mainstream, national media could mean the reduction of the watchdog role.
- The New York Times: Battle Plans for Newspapers (blog) — Eight media leaders discuss the profession’s future.
- JProf: The demise of newspapers means better journalism — An argument that the new tide of journalism will revamp the industry with better writing, better reporting and more respect for the audience.
- Poynter: Read the “Future of Newspapers” transcript from Charlie Rose’s show. — Guests on the show are Isaacson, WSJ managing editor Robert Thomson and publisher Mort Zuckerman (New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report).
- Communication Leadership & Policy Blog: Watchdog journalism: Hardly a newspaper afterthought. — An acknowledgement that while newspapers are not the only medium that can carry out effective investigative journalism, “if newspapers couldn’t do it anymore, the void would be very deep.”
- MEDIA NOTES blog: Ed Roussel and the post-recession news media. — The Telegraph’s digital editor says newspapers will survive “by employing more ‘premium’ writers who give the organisation a brand, while getting the majority of its news content from agencies such as PA, Reuters and AP.”
- MEDIA NOTES blog: Ed Roussel and Charlie Beckett: a response. — A follow-up to the previous link. Beckett agrees with Roussel: “Newspapers need reporters, experts in their field, to provide insight, analysis and, to an extent, grace and style, to what makes up the bulk of their product.”
I’ve at least skimmed all of these, and still have more reading to do — that is, a dozen or so articles about the federal economic stimulus package. Now that it’s passed and on its way to Obama’s desk, I’m hoping that next week in Jefferson City will be far busier and more productive than the past two weeks have been. I feel like everyone from the legislators to the budget officers have been waiting for some closure on the stimulus package before pressing forward with their own agendas.
And on that note, I’m going to continue with my “to do” list for the weekend and hopefully have some scanned film posted by tomorrow afternoon! Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Hi,
You’ve got some of the above slightly wrong.
You write:
‘Beckett agrees with Roussel: “Newspapers need reporters, experts in their field, to provide insight, analysis and, to an extent, grace and style, to what makes up the bulk of their product.”’
Beckett didn’t say that, I did. This quote doesn’t agree with Roussel, it contradicts him. I argue that if newspapers outsource core reporting, they will reduce quality.
Beckett actually agrees with Roussel, but for different reasons.
Thanks,
Ben
Hi! I’m sorry about that — there’s no excuse for that kind of sloppiness. Thanks for catching it and letting me know.