Out of this World

Chicago is city of many cultures and people--I can walk outside my condo in the South Loop and two blocks in either direction encounter a three sushi restaurants, two Yoga clinics and two cigar bars.

My experience Saturday was something entirely different than smoking a Havana washed down with a sift of Bushmills.

The US Men's National Soccer team was hosting--more on that later--Honduras in a World Cup qualifying match at Solider Field. In the universe of men's soccer, it was a pretty big deal. Whoever won this match, had a leg up in making the World Cup in 2010. The US won 2-1, and will most likely qualify for the Cup next year.

What made this so memorable, though, was not the action that went on the pitch; no rather it was the atmosphere surrounding the game.


These photos are a mere glimpse of what the scene was like outside the stadium before the game--thousands of Hondurans, all caught up in national pride for their team. Outward shows of emotion, a sense of patriotism that you don't typically see here in the US (although there are Bears fans who might disagree with me on that). Most Hondurans I spoke with flew in from their home country to watch the game. While this soccer match was one in a litany of sports options any American with a satellite dish or mobile phone could have witnessed this night, to Hondurans, this was the center of their galaxy, their sporting epicenter.


The 55,000 or so announced crowd was easily 70-75% rooting for Honduras, which in effect, made the match a rare home road game for our national team (as you can see by the photo of red shirts signifying the minimal US support inside the stadium). When Honduras scored a goal early in the match to go ahead, we felt as though we had been transported to its capital of Tegucigalpa. The crowd erupted in civic unison, even the Honduran media checked their objectivity at the door and shouted through the closed windows of the press box.

As we walked outside the stadium after the match we saw many misty-eyed Honduran fans, knowing the loss could spell doom for their World Cup hopes. I felt a sense of appreciation for their tears--when you travel as far as many of them did, are so emotionally invested in your country and team, why would they not be sad over the result?

Of course, I am a Cubs fan, so I feel some sense of empathy. We know all about disappointment.

5 steps to Journalistic Reinvention

I was reading a book by basketball coach Rick Pitino titled "Rebound Rules". In it, he talks about how as a baby boomer, he's not the most technically-savvy guy. One of the most successful college coaches of all time, Pitino has won a national championship and hundreds of games. You wouldn't think he would need to to embrace technology--after all, he's Rick Pitino. Isn't that what graduate assistants are for?

Wrong.

In order to compete in the uber-competitive world of college basketball, Pitino has developed new software techniques, video-conferences with his staff, and although he has yet to tweet, he texts as often as a 15-year-old on a Red Bull high.

It then hit me why this guy, and others, have continued success.

Reinvention.

Here are Innovative Journalists 5 steps to reinventing yourself. No better time than today to start-

1. Admit you must. Like any addiction, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Saying "I don't do email" or "Facebook is for kids" is the language of the lost.

2. Back to School. I don't mean necessarily college--although it's done wonders for this journalist--but studying the market. Subscribe to Google Reader and receive updates from sites such at Poynter.org, TechCrunch.com or Mashable.com. Read influencial bloggers such as Monica Guzman or Etan Horowitz. Be a student of innovation. This will fuel your own ambition.

3. Define, then refine your brand. When I say "brand" I don't mean on par with Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft or McDonald's. Spending millions each year on advertising is not a strategy I would endorse. When I mean is carving out your place in the online universe. What skills do you have that would benefit others? What message do I have that will be a conversation starter? This is a simple formula: available resources + intellectual capital= personal brand.

4. Implementation. The 800-pound elephant in the room. One difference between achievers and pretenders is achievers' ability to implement their plan once it is in place. Pretenders tend to over think--what if changed this? How about this tweak? What if it didn't work? So what. Act. Sign up for an account on Blogger or Word Press and get pubished today. Send out a message to your email network asking if anyone knows a good web designer. Actions stimulate brain activity. And the resources available to act are already in your rolodex.

5. Humility. Speaker Jim Rohn says "humility is the path to prosperity". Understanding you don't know it all, you won't know it all over night, and most important, we live in a transparent, open-sourced culture where the skills you need to succeed are on your Mac screen.

And if all else fails, you can always ask your neighbor's 7-year-old how to use Facebook.

Reinvention = Inspiration

I attended a seminar last night on social media. The course did cover much material I had heard before--blogging, SEO marketing--although it is never time poorly spent to hear a new take on these older concepts. What struck me most from this group was the demographic. Over half were recently laid off journalists on the print side. No surprising when you consider recent events. There were also quite a few recently laid off corporate types. The average age in the room was probably 50, which made me feel quite spry.

It got me thinking--reinvention is the buzz word of our times. If you are not out learning new skills, attending seminars, loading up on brain fuel, you will cease to be relevant. This has never been more true. I talked to one former newspaper reporter of a major market daily during a break who told me he isn't sure he wants to blog, but he now knows that if he wants to stay on top of the industry, he must. He's never had to before--he had his newspaper brand backing him up. Now, he has to establish his own brand. I wasn't sure if he was nervous or excited about what lies ahead--probably a little bit of both--but taking action of some kind is one certainty.

In a later post, Innovative Journalists is going to have it's Top 5 steps to reinvention. The first? Admitting you must and trusting you will be rewarded.

Rules of Engagement

Social media is a powerful force- breaking down barriers of discussion that were at one time insurmountable. Cruising the Cayman Islands and want to to share your pics with family? Post them on your blog. Or post them on your Facebook wall. Or now, share it almost instantly with a community of squid lovers as a TwitPic. Innovation has changed the rules of engagement. For the better.

What makes Twitter a different breed of social media cat is the instant, direct dialogue platform it creates. Take the Roger Clemens interview on ESPN yesterday. As soon as the disgraced former pitcher was on the air--continuing to deny he ever used steroids--reaction was flying all over in the form of Tweets. The dialogue was not what you would see in a discussion board or comment section of a blog posting. No, it was real time, Q & A back and forth just as if you were knocking back a few barley molds with your buddies at the tavern.

Even the media was engaged-- reporters were Tweeting with each other, commenting on the absurdity of Clemens continued non-mea culpa but also making suggestions about story angles/takes on the news.

Innovation is taking on many forms in this era of digital journalism. Be on the lookout as it may be under your nose. And if so, be sure you Tweet about it.

Tweet, Tweet, then beat

Who knows how long Twitter will be the hot social media currency. It continues its meteoric climb in usership, and you can check user statistics here. Whether you think it's relevant or not to obtain a Twitter account, one thing is for sure--someone you know is Twittering. That person is most likely a Facebook friend. And they just put the kids to bed. Just read their wall. The fascinating details are all there.

Now, if you want to read real news and stimulate your brain, it's possible to achieve both on Twitter. A grad student at DePaul Unversity started a website a few months ago called BreakingTweets.com. It is a news gathering site, where by using Twitter search engines, they report on international news, mostly breaking news. Something happens in the Middle East overnight in the US, traditional media can't, won't cover it. That doesn't mean there isn't a thirst and desire for this type of news.

Thanks to technology, BreakingTweets.com can learn about a story happening in real time, search for eyewitness accounts of a story while also aggregating reaction from those impacted by a news event. The site was sourced by Sky News in one of their online stories about an attempted shooting on the Queen of Holland. The site beat conventional news outlet BBC with the story. Read the riveting account of what happened here.

Technology+Social Media+Journalism=Innovation.

Have a Tweeterific day.

Success Leaves Clues

You've seen her on ESPN First Take, duking it out with the insufferable Skip Bayless. You've read her columns on ESPN.com, where she has distinguished herself as a no-nonsense reporter. Now you see Jemele Hill posing with me, your insufferable blog editor (I gave her no choice as I staked out the lobby like a crazed fan).

I attended a seminar this past weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida where Jemele spoke. She has quite a story--coming up from the streets of Detroit, moving up the newspaper ranks before landing at ESPN a few years ago. After listening to her speak and spending some time with her, one word keep creeping into my consciousness--genuine. As a journalist, I always admired her authenticity. Once you meet her and listen to her speak, that quality is no act--she's a real and down to earth in person as she comes across in her writing and on television. That's not an easy transistion, but it is a common thread amongst successful people.

The ability to not only be in touch with who you are--am I compassionate? Am I humble? Am I a fair?--but the talent to channel that sense of self outwardly is what attracts people to or away from you. In journalism it is essential to survival--being hated is preferred over indifference. So ask yourself this question- how well am I in touch with my own values? And how can I best share those values through my work?

If you are looking for a good example, just check out Jemele Hill's work on ESPN.

Brain Fuel

I'm writing from sunny, humid St. Petersburg, Florida where I am attending the Poynter Institute Sports Journalism Summit. Lots of heavy hitters down here--Jack McCallum, Pat Forde, Jamele Hill, Sally Jenkins, just to name a few. I'm excited about rubbing elbows with these stars of sports journalism. But I'm stoked (I apologize for the mid-90's slang reference, I'm writing in a hurry here) for another reason.

It's a concept known as "slight edge". It's why I flew in from Chicago and paid my own way to attend the seminar. The idea is that by spending 3 days absorbing the intellectual capital of those mentioned and others, I will pick up one or two innovative concepts I have never heard before. And those concepts--combined with implementation--will add a significant amount of revenue to my business. Successful people understand this. Unsuccessful people look at the "cost" and say they can't afford it.

I would encourage all of you to ask yourselves--what am I doing to fuel my brain? What seminars, conferences, speeches are you attending that will give you a "slight edge" over your competition?

You don't have to fly all the way to Florida to practice this.

Brain fuel is all around you.

3 Likes about ESPN Chicago

I turned on ESPN Radio 1000 here in Chicago Monday morning, excited to hear what the midday hosts, Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman had to say about the Cubs opener at Wrigley.

And while we got plenty of baseball chat, we also got a taste of the ESPN promotion machine.

ESPNChicago.com was live for its first day, and let me tell you, our fair city has never been exposed to anything as innovative. A breathless Silverman could barely contain his excitement--any why wouldn't you be? You can link directly to Adam Abdalla's blog!--while partner Waddle (or T-Wizzle as some callers like to refer to him as) was his typical indifferent self, passing the time until the show started its latest Jay Cutler conversation thread.

All of the things you love most about the world-wide leader, Sliverman shouted (the writing, the reporting, Scoop Jackson!), only now it's been compartmentalized into bite-sized, regionalized chunks.

And while it remains to be seen whether the new site will enlighten us consumers of the Chicago sports scene, one thing we do know--it's here to stay.

After a few days of surfing the site, here are 3 things we like about the site:

LIKES

1. It's local! I admit I'm a provincial snob. Although I like my San Diego Padres (being the son of a Navy seaman will do that to you) and my Washington Redskins (John Riggins my all-time favorite NFL player), I care mostly about Chicago sports. With the ESPN machine funding a site devoted to local teams, it's a slam-dunk win for the consumer

2. Deeper, contextual content. Here's a for instance--on the site today, you have a piece by Bears reporter Jeff Dickerson on the Bears 2009 schedule. A game-by-game breakdown of each opponent. About 1,000 words. That probably would have been published on the radio site before, but now with ESPN's synergistic promotion behind it, you can actually find it. This is what online journalism should be about--convergence. There are no space restraints in the internet.

3. Chicago SportsCenter. Now, if you don't want Stan Verrett bloviating into your computer screen like an uninvited relative over Easter, then turn the auto play off. Otherwise, you get about 4 minutes of local highlights, rolling as soon as you log in. If you're like me, I don't want to have to watch a full SportsCenter to get to what I want to watch. Now it's on demand--how I want it, when I want it.

A quick bonus--I am a big fan of the StubHub partnership. OK, this is a bit shamelessly selfish on my part, but as a Cubs season ticket holder, I appreciate the StubHub ad banners all over the site. You need 3 for the Cubs-Marlins on May 2nd? Plenty of options just one mouse click away.

Coming Later: 3 things we don't like about ESPN Chicago

Newton's Law

Covering a war is pretty heavy stuff. Not only must you dodge the noise--bullets, bombs and bust ups--you must also get the story.

This past weekend in Indianapolis, I sat in on a presentation by Jeff Newton (he's on the right), a producer with 60 minutes. Newton's primary job at CBS is covering wars--as a cameraman, reporter and producer. Since 1992, he has done stories in 66 countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Newton works primarily with correspondent Lara Logan, although he has also worked on pieces with Scott Pelley, Bob Simon and Dan Rather.

He gave the nuts and bolts about equipment--always have plenty of batteries--but he also shared intriguing insights on how journalists or anyone in any industry should think about their craft. Whether you are a beat reporter covering city hall in Gary, Indiana, covering politics in Columbus or running a software company in Toronto, they are principles that are impactful, no matter what your business.

I wanted to share 3 of Newton's Laws:

1. Don't let resources keep you from the story. Jeff shared an anecdote where he was called away on Christmas for a breaking news event in the Middle East. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and an AMEX card. He hopped on a plane anyway. You can always get what you need on the way.

2. Less is more. Too many characters can make for a noisy story. Overloading a piece with too many interviews will drive away your audience. Learn the art of cutting.

3. It's always the story that matters. Don't get bogged down what you don't have. It doesn't matter. Great storytelling is often hatched from the jaws of limited resources. Find great people. They are your muse.

Anyone want to add to this?

Do you have a 'Newton's Law' of your own?

Social Media Scientist

I've always been a big believer in "educational equity". To me, this is defined by the accumulation of knowledge from continued exposure to new ideas. This weekend, I attended the Society of Professional Journalists' seminar in Indianapolis. After sitting in on 4 sessions Saturday, I've got enough equity to buy a 4 bedroom condo in Manhattan.

I'll have posts related to the seminar all week, but up first is one on Dr. Victor Hernandez.

Full disclosure- Hernandez is not a doctor, nor does he have his P.H.D. No, he is an executive with CNN in charge of domestic newsgathering. A heavy hitter. Hernandez gave an hour or so presentation titled "Journalism 3.0" where he shared his viewpoints on social media and it's impact on the media industry. His message- if you are not engaged via social networking in some capacity, you will cease to become relevant. He talked extensively about Twitter, which is growing faster than any social networking site. Here are some quick tips shared by Hernandez--or tweets for those of you hip to the twit-lingo--on using Twitter:

1. For acquiring new and useful information. This was Hernandez's favorite reason for using Twitter.

2. For crowd sourcing. Hernandez heads up logistics for CNN's hurricane road shows and uses Twitter to not only organize these massive live events, but for connecting with their audience.

3. As a tool to further promote great work or endeavors. If you read something online, or happen to come across a terrific piece of video, Twitter is a useful platform to virally spread this information.

Hernandez made a point of emphasizing to separate the technology from the content. Sure, use social media devices such as Twitter to vet a story. But we still need skilled journalists to write and report.

A converged journalist is a well-fed journalist

The concept of working in a multi-platform newsroom has been around since web creation. The economics of this reality is finally trickling down in newsrooms and academia. It is no longer enough to just be a good writer, or an editor or photographer. To insure a lengthy life expectancy in journalism today, you must be able to do all three. Compartmentalization is out, convergence is in. Darwinism is the philosophy that reigns supreme; adapt or die.

Terrific article on Poynter's website about what's going on at Ball State. Students are learning how not just about new media platforms, but how to apply different skill sets along these platforms. One student took a NASCAR internship--against her professor's recommendation--and helped design a graphic that was used on a race car. This translated to revenue for the driving team.

You think she has a leg up on the competition come job interview time?

Just another example of how we must think differently about our jobs in media today. By attaching a sales and marketing component to how you evaluate opportunities and their outcomes, not you will stand out from your competition, you will be thinking like an innovator.

And you will be employed.

Journalism=innovation=application=employment

Innovative Journalists Series: Amy Sancetta

If you've picked up a newspaper or magazine in the past 25 years and read a story about a big sports or news event--Super Bowl, Olympics, 9/11--the copy was most likely accompanied by a photograph by Amy Sancetta.

For the past 25 years, Sancetta has been a staff photographer for the Associated Press. Her photographs--including the one above--have not only brought illumination to major events, but added the context only pictures can. She is a true photo-journalist, one of a kind.

We interviewed Sancetta as part of our 'Innovative Journalists' series, and here is an excerpt-

How did your career evolve on the track it is on today?
Hard work, good work, being a good teammate in every situation, and impressing the photographers that I encountered along the way. I’ve had three professional jobs in my like post-college. The first summer I interned as a photographer for the Mansfield News Journal. My second was as a staff photographer for the Columbus Dispatch for 2 years. And the last as a staff photographer for the Associated Press, a job I’ve held for the last 25 years. In each instance, someone or a number of someones, recommended me for the job. Both Mansfield and Columbus knew me and my work from the stringing I did at the AP while in college. When the photo editor at the AP in Philadelphia had an opening, he took resumes, but also polled his colleagues for their recommendations. A number of AP staffers recommended me, including some I had met while working for the Dispatch covering away Ohio State football games. The photo editor called me, I applied, and I got the job. Pretty neat. I felt like my good pictures, good teamwork, and willingness to do whatever was asked of me for the job led to my getting all three of those job.

How do you feel about the industry today? When did you notice a shift in consumer habits?
It’s a scary time in our industry today. The tough economy is wreaking havoc in the newspaper world. At the same time, there is a voracious appetite for content. I think this is one of those pivotal times in our industry, when we will see a major shift in how information is passed along to the consumer. More content is being asked for, it’s just the container that’s changing.

What innovations are necessary in order to keep journalism viable? Do you have a big idea?
I think the traditional high standards of journalism will be what in the end saves the business. There are so many ways to get news these days, but very few of them are credible. I think when all the flash and glitter, the cell phone videos and blogs are washed out, that the last man standing with be the voice of record. The voice that is reliable and credible and trustworthy. So rather than looking around for some flashy way to maintain readership or viewership, I think looking back at ways to maintain high standards will separate the winners from the losers in this fight.

What ideas are being applied today that excites you about the industry moving forward?
I love photographer driven video—what I like to call little mini movies, for the web. I’ve had the chance to delve into this brand of story telling, and it’s exciting. The ability to shoot video with a photographer’s eye, and then collect audio, either live from the scene or in the voice of the players in the story being told, and then weaving that all together. It’s the best of the traditional picture story, but coming to life with sound. I love it. I think they are highly watchable, and satisfy one of the things I think I can bring to the table—sharing what I see and hear with others who can’t be right there too.

How to Start Your Own ESPN

If you watch ESPN as much as I do--what is exactly on the other 300 channels anyway?--you understand the power of branding. ESPN is a content factory, a media behemoth that not only delivers news, it frames the daily dialogue about the news. It got me thinking- how can someone without the ESPN brand behind them have the same reach and market penetration? Just because you don't have millions of cable subscribers or PTI, doesn't mean you can't have an impact. Here are 3 quick steps journalists can take to develop their own ESPN brand:

1. Understand and Use Technology More journalism schools are finally catching about the importance of inserting technology into curriculum's. I am in grad school now just for this reason. The tech skills I learned at Michigan State in the early to mid-90's--how to shoot on a 3/4" camera--would be like giving your child an abacus to teach them how to count. Take an editing or web design class, subscribe to blogs like Tech Crunch. Read BreakingTweets. Don't be afraid of technology, embrace it.

2. Harness the power of Social Media OK, so you are on Facebook and maybe you are Twittering by now. But how are you using them both? There is a difference between being on both and actually getting value. Reach out to other journalists you like and offer to Tweet one of their articles. Join a Facebook page such as the In Denver Times and show support for their new business model. Giving before you receive is a lockstep creed in social media. Provide value first, then you will get it back. Many times over.

3. ABM- Always Be Marketing One of the things that makes ESPN so powerful is they have acquired "top of the mind awareness". When A-Rod admits to juicing, when T.O. pops off, where is our cable landing strip? ESPN, without blinking. This didn't happen overnight. They've been around for 30 years. Thanks to technology, you don't have to wait that long. When you publish content, be sure people know about it. Check out sites like RyanStephensMarketing.com and this one on how to virally market your content.

In today's media, your shelf life is no longer dependent on just your ability to be a good journalist. You must also think like an entrepreneur.

Mentorship=Success

In 1996, I was a first-time television reporter working in Augusta, Georgia. I had the basic skills I needed to acquire the job--I could write to video relatively well and thanks to really good face powder, in the looks department, I was passable on camera. What I didn't have was self-confidence, a product of being a rookie reporter. What I needed was experience. And I got it, thanks to a man named Byron Grandy.

Byron saw something in me no one else did. He threw me into situations where he knew I would be uncomfortable, just so I would gain the experience. Leaning how to fail is essential before you can appreciate success. Byron taught me how to fail forward, not backwards. They were lessons that can only come from a mentor.

As part of our weekly innovator series, we interviewed Grandy, currently General Manager of KMGH-TV, the ABC affiliate in Denver, CO. Here is a portion of the interview, the rest we will post later in the week.

What was your first job?

My first paying job was at KBTX-TV in Bryan, TX. I made just over 3 dollars an hour but loved every minute of it. I hounded the ND at the station for weeks, calling with story ideas and to let him know I was available to cover things for them in the neighboring town I was living. I think the ND just got tired of hearing from me and hired me. I appreciate what he did.

Who was a mentor for you in the business? What did they teach you?

All of my bosses have been mentors. I have learned much from all of these leaders. They have taught me the lesson of “to have real power is the ability to empower others.” You must understand you’re not going to do it alone so you must be involved with others. They have taught me the value of compassion in leadership. To make sure you are there for them in the tough times not just the good. I have learned the value of listening and collaboration.

How did your career evolve on the track it is on today?

Who knows. I was a TV weatherman in 1983 and now they let me run a TV station. I’m not sure there is a track. You just work hard each day, learn what you can and look for the job that you enjoy and are challenged in. I’ve always told people you can do whatever you want in this business. You just have to get going and keep your eyes open. After years as a reporter I wanted to have impact on more than just the story I was doing so I got in to managing newsrooms. After years of that, I liked the challenge of running a business so I set my sights on the GM job.


Byron is not only a mentor to many, he has a few innovative ideas on journalism moving forward, and we will share those with you in our next post.

Forward Thinking Journalism

Terrific chat yesterday sponsored by the Poynter Institute. Mark Briggs, who runs a consulting company and edits a blog answered questions related to the topic of entreprenueurial journalism.

Some of the highlights of the chat were the following-

*When asked about how combining the two concepts, Briggs said, "entreprenueurism is really about creating new products, new ideas and new businesses to capture some of the economic benefit from the vision and the hard work." Precisely. Those that are not only bold in their thinking, but also implement those bold ideas will be the victors. Expecting a significant financial reward should be part of this thinking.

*When asked how to make money in entrepreneurial journalism, Briggs said, "start your own media site, like a hyperlocal news blog, and attempt to make advertising revenue." He also mentions the importance of developing technology that can be used by other media companies. Monetizing blogs is a challenging task in a very noisy environment. The key to sustaining a business model is driving eyeballs to a site where you aggregate your content using technology- ebooks, audio, video. Information marketers call this "building a list" and it is what journalists will have to learn to sustain their business model.

It's not enough anymore to think like a writer. To be a well-fed journalist, you must also think like a marketer.

Innovative Journalists Series: Steve Foster

This week is the first of a series on innovative journalists. The idea is to publicize journalists who are pushing invention, injecting entrepreneuriship at a time when the industry is in dire need of new concepts. This week we publish an excerpt from a Q & A Innovative Journalists did with Steve Foster, former online sports editor of the now defunct Rocky Mountain News. Steve, along with dozens of his former collegues, are launching a new venture, which you can read about at length here in a terrific story by Poynter's Steve Myers.

I asked Steve about who his first mentor was, when he first noticed change in the industry and what innovations are needed to keep it relevant.

Who was a mentor for you in the business? What did they teach you?

John Temple, the editor and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News, has been key to my career. Without him, I would have not come back to the Rocky Mountain News and found myself at this odd nexus of closings and openings. He helped me understand how important it is to not get locked into doing one thing and to always be open to changing jobs, changing visions to match the work needed to be done.

How do you feel about the industry today? When did you notice a shift in consumer habits?

We’re at a crossroads. Journalism has been gradually, steadily slipping out of the hands of journalists and communities. More independent journalists are providing news, but while some of them are good and actually report new news, most are merely reacting to what others’ report. So the quality has been dropping, but more importantly, the connection to the community has been eroding along with it. We need to bring the community back to the coverage, stop reporting as if we’re talking down to the public, and listen and talk to our readers. As for when I noticed a change in customers habits: when I started reading news online for two hours in the morning before I picked up the newspaper from my doorstep.

What innovations are necessary in order to keep journalism viable?

It isn’t so much innovation that’s need as better application. People are getting their news in new ways, and doing so at a much faster rate then newsroom developers can keep up. The idea of a dedicated mobile site is a mystery to many newsrooms, yet a large number of page views come from mobile phones. Newsrooms need to keep up and apply the technology that their readers already want to use.

Innovative Thinker Series

Around the media universe, the dialogue for how to fix the journalism business model is growing. This is good, as the more conversation is pushed, the better the odds innovative ideas will be hatched.

From a New York University professor who is using his platform to encourage experimentation, to the over half-century Knight Foundation which awards innovative ideas, and if you read this article, there are many who are already designing new models.

Beginning this week, we will launch a series featuring those journalists that are on the front lines; creating, building, innovating.

If you have an idea for someone to be featured, drop the author a line.

Journapreneurship

A short definition of entrepreneurship is "the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations". Combining this dynamic with the practice of journalism and you have the potential for innovation.

At a recent seminar sponsored by the non-profit think tank Poynter Institute, journalists from all over engaged in dialogue blending this concept.

Mark Briggs, who attended the seminar, is an author and co-founder of Serra Media. Mark has a terrific blog with great content on the industry today and its future.

The big picture question is, in order for journalism to be viable moving forward, should it be positioned as a "new organization" in need of start up equity, or a "mature organiztion" that needs to be revitalized?

From Obliteration to Innovation

Anybody know who Mary Kay Ash is? She's the woman who founded Mary Kay cosmetics. Her model of independence spawned thousands of women around the world to start their own businesses. Ash once said, "For every failure there is an alternative way of action."

Some folks at the Rocky Mountain News have taken this to heart. After 150 years, the newspaper closed it's doors last week, a victim of today's failing newspaper business model. Hundreds are out of a job, adding to an already lengthy list of out-of-work journalists. But out of this shit storm another story has emerged.

One of the founders of the launch , Steve Foster, will be a featured essay in our book. These types of stories are what needs to be reported on in blogs such as these. We know the mainstream press doesn't care. Does anybody honestly want to listen to Wolf Blitzer pompously pontificate about how many more Americans are unemployed?

Innovation or Annihilation? I choose innovation.

Collective Brain Equity

A few weeks ago, there was a meeting of the minds regarding our industry here in Chicago. Borrowing a page from politics, it was a journalism version of a town hall meeting. Standing room only, with plenty of opinions and discussion about the state of journalism now and beyond.

A plethora of ideas were tossed around from non-profit partnerships to the Dow Jones model of subscription-based content. Whatever your personal viewpoints on how to monetize the business moving forward, I would encourage more of these town hall-style chats. There is something to be said for collective brain power, especially when the ambition is innovation.

Anyone else in other markets holding an event like this?

Interview excerpt with Dan Hickling

Some of you may know Dan Hickling, a well-regarded freelance writer who lives in Maine. Dan agreed to be interviewed for our book, and here is a portion of the interview here. I like Dan's attitude about the business...change is here and within lies opportunity.



Are the skill sets that made you successful the same today as they were when you were coming up?

Not sure what those skills are, other than being a decent judge of people. And I can ask a question or two. I work hard at my writing, and since I've never had a client refuse to use me again, I guess that has been sufficient. However, I am a man of faith, and probably enjoy the craft of sports writing more each day than the previous one, and people I deal with seem to pick up on that.

How do you feel about the industry today?

I feel we're on the verge of something uncharted. There is a thirst for information, and somehow, some way, it has to be quenched. Newspapers as that conduit are dying. But as old as I am (55), I am one to embrace change, and I want to be part of whatever is coming next. I see it as a challenge, but as an opportunity, too.

What innovations are necessary in order to keep journalism viable?

As long as our hearts, minds, and reservoir of courage can keep ahead of the technology, journalism will be viable.

Dan Hickling

WSJ sports section- already a fan

I read that Rupert Murdoch has beefed up the sports section at the Wall Street Journal. More issue-oriented, enterprise stories. I believe there is space in the marketplace for this. As the sports world continues to be driven by economics, journalism that documents this will be more in demand. Thoughts?

Twittering

You can follow us on Twitter...www.twitter.com/jjkmedia.

Welcome to our project

This is the initial post for the Jon, Andy and Dan book project. It's a working title, as we are in the infant stages. Our book is a collection of thoughts and ideas about the industry of journalism- where it's been, where it is now and where it is headed- all from working journalists with various backgrounds. The reason we are undertaking his project is simple- all three of the authors believe in this industry. While we agree it is going through a transformation, both macro and micro, this restructuring makes it ripe for fresh and bold ideas. Which is why we are reaching out to the journalism community, with plans to compile these ideas into a book to be published sometime this year.

This blog is meant as a platform for interested parties to follow our project, as we will be providing content as we progress. Your feedback and comments are welcome! We would not be doing our job if we did not encourage engagement from the journalism community as discussion is the foundation of innovation.