The San Jose Mercury News reports on Bay Area television stations and declining ad revenues as more viewers switch to web content as their information source.
Check it out:
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_12424461?source=email
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Spreading the swine flu ... story by story
Ever since the swine flu pandemic hit the news, we've watched it grow and multiply. Front page headlines, team coverage, the latest at eleven. The media infected the public with a deluge of facts, reaction and speculation. It's as if the first few gasps of the swine flu outbreak broke out into a contagious cough that every news outlet caught and spit back out. I kept up on the plethora of perspectives until the swine flu hit home.
No, no one here has the flu but I felt its effects when my daughter's school just canceled its parents weekend. My daughter is attending school out of state and parents weekend is held twice a year. It's a much anticipated time to visit your kid and enjoy special events on campus. I've been looking forward to my daughter's dance concert for months. Now the concert and other activities have been called off; parents are discouraged from visiting the campus because if even one swine flu case is detected at the school, administrators say they will be forced to cancel classes.
I understand the concern but is it warranted? Is it reason enough for us doting parents to miss that long-awaited dance performance, musical concert or sporting event? I think not.
Today the San Francisco Chronicle discussed the media scare, "The Swine Flu Outbreak - Some describe media coverage as overblown" - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/05/03/MN3B17CKP7.DTL
Writer Joe Garofoli adeptly points out how the 24-hour cable news outlets have covered the outbreak using details and visuals that "inspire fear." Garofoli says, "No detail about the flu -- often delivered without context -- has been too tiny to go unreported ... "He acknowledges some insightful coverage by CNN and NPR but he adds all too often, journalists themselves don't know what to do with all of the information or perhaps, misinformation if you look at the abundance of ink, or airtime, devoted to the virus
Yes, health-related stories sell, just like animal stories do, but I don't want my front page or tonight's top stories to be homogenous. I also don't want to learn about the 'tiger attack at the zoo' or the 'inhumanely treated chickens' through the voice of paranoia or fear. Just the facts will do, thank you.
I'm still going to visit my daughter this weekend. Whether it's an official parents weekend or not. After all, it's Mother's Day.
No, no one here has the flu but I felt its effects when my daughter's school just canceled its parents weekend. My daughter is attending school out of state and parents weekend is held twice a year. It's a much anticipated time to visit your kid and enjoy special events on campus. I've been looking forward to my daughter's dance concert for months. Now the concert and other activities have been called off; parents are discouraged from visiting the campus because if even one swine flu case is detected at the school, administrators say they will be forced to cancel classes.
I understand the concern but is it warranted? Is it reason enough for us doting parents to miss that long-awaited dance performance, musical concert or sporting event? I think not.
Today the San Francisco Chronicle discussed the media scare, "The Swine Flu Outbreak - Some describe media coverage as overblown" - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/05/03/MN3B17CKP7.DTL
Writer Joe Garofoli adeptly points out how the 24-hour cable news outlets have covered the outbreak using details and visuals that "inspire fear." Garofoli says, "No detail about the flu -- often delivered without context -- has been too tiny to go unreported ... "He acknowledges some insightful coverage by CNN and NPR but he adds all too often, journalists themselves don't know what to do with all of the information or perhaps, misinformation if you look at the abundance of ink, or airtime, devoted to the virus
Yes, health-related stories sell, just like animal stories do, but I don't want my front page or tonight's top stories to be homogenous. I also don't want to learn about the 'tiger attack at the zoo' or the 'inhumanely treated chickens' through the voice of paranoia or fear. Just the facts will do, thank you.
I'm still going to visit my daughter this weekend. Whether it's an official parents weekend or not. After all, it's Mother's Day.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wanted: A Super-Journalist
When I became a journalist, the galleys had to be waxed before pasting them onto a page mock-up. When I transitioned to broadcast news, we wrote scripts on triplicate, carbon copy sheets.
The UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism has been seeking a new dean for two years. One newspaper says the final two candidates most recently under consideration pulled out because the J-school is seeking a multimedia dean, a seasoned journalist who is also current on the latest communications technologies: web news, online editing, social networking, the works.
The new standards also apply to everyday street reporters like me. It’s not enough to deliver an informative, accurate story. These days, journalists need to know how to produce content for the web, from blogs to shooting and editing video to using ‘facebook’ and ‘twitter’ to spread the news. How do you keep up and keep your job? There’s a long waiting line for multimedia training workshops. Recently laid-off journalists have to do more than send out resumes and clips. You must learn and invest in new skills to even be considered for a new job.
Lucky for me I now have an empty nest and technically, more time to make myself marketable, but becoming a super-journalist is a super challenge. I question how the time I’ve spent becoming “plugged in” takes away from my true calling: to find and tell the story, the old-fashioned way.
The UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism has been seeking a new dean for two years. One newspaper says the final two candidates most recently under consideration pulled out because the J-school is seeking a multimedia dean, a seasoned journalist who is also current on the latest communications technologies: web news, online editing, social networking, the works.
The new standards also apply to everyday street reporters like me. It’s not enough to deliver an informative, accurate story. These days, journalists need to know how to produce content for the web, from blogs to shooting and editing video to using ‘facebook’ and ‘twitter’ to spread the news. How do you keep up and keep your job? There’s a long waiting line for multimedia training workshops. Recently laid-off journalists have to do more than send out resumes and clips. You must learn and invest in new skills to even be considered for a new job.
Lucky for me I now have an empty nest and technically, more time to make myself marketable, but becoming a super-journalist is a super challenge. I question how the time I’ve spent becoming “plugged in” takes away from my true calling: to find and tell the story, the old-fashioned way.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Bleeding of the American Newspaper
As you all may well know, 120 folks over at the San Francisco Chronicle accepted buyout offers last week.
I went and checked out Jim Lehrer's talk at the Commonwealth Club over the weekend. Of the demise of the American newspaper, Lehrer said, "Panic over newspapers is legitimate." He pointed out there has to be a real story before the "whiners, bloggers, and entertainment" step in. Lehrer added, "If the first information comes in a joke or shout, I think we have a problem."
So what's the solution?
I went and checked out Jim Lehrer's talk at the Commonwealth Club over the weekend. Of the demise of the American newspaper, Lehrer said, "Panic over newspapers is legitimate." He pointed out there has to be a real story before the "whiners, bloggers, and entertainment" step in. Lehrer added, "If the first information comes in a joke or shout, I think we have a problem."
So what's the solution?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
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Burton: Back In The News
Political clout: John Burton is likely to head California's Democratic Party. (See the SF Chronicle's front page story today).) Burton never seems to stay out of the news for long.
I've interviewed John Burton several times. In the 90's in the halls of the the state capitol; and in May 2005 at a Cal Berkeley School of Public Policy graduation where Warren Beatty was the keynote speaker (remember Beatty teasing us about possibly tossing his hat into the gubernatorial race?). Last year I attempted to reach him about that sexual harassment suit filed by a female colleague. The case was settled, but the Chronicle says a woman still blogs "anonymously." I just checked out this "burtonwatch" blog. It's not wasting anytime opposing Burton's quest to lead the party. Nonetheless, Burton always keeps things fun for journalists. His quips translate into great soundbytes.
I'm always intrigued by these lifetime politicians. The article says Burton is 77 and questions how he will reach the party's younger generation. Not on FB or Twitter. Burton's quoted,"So I don't have a computer.. Shoot me." Said like a true Burton .. you have to give him one for consistency. Bottom line, he's a master of fundraising.
Don Perata will soon be 64 years-old and now he's the frontrunner for Oakland mayor -- with deep pockets. I was surprised to read that three serious mayoral contenders dropped out of the race after Perata's announcement to run ... now that's clout.
I've interviewed John Burton several times. In the 90's in the halls of the the state capitol; and in May 2005 at a Cal Berkeley School of Public Policy graduation where Warren Beatty was the keynote speaker (remember Beatty teasing us about possibly tossing his hat into the gubernatorial race?). Last year I attempted to reach him about that sexual harassment suit filed by a female colleague. The case was settled, but the Chronicle says a woman still blogs "anonymously." I just checked out this "burtonwatch" blog. It's not wasting anytime opposing Burton's quest to lead the party. Nonetheless, Burton always keeps things fun for journalists. His quips translate into great soundbytes.
I'm always intrigued by these lifetime politicians. The article says Burton is 77 and questions how he will reach the party's younger generation. Not on FB or Twitter. Burton's quoted,"So I don't have a computer.. Shoot me." Said like a true Burton .. you have to give him one for consistency. Bottom line, he's a master of fundraising.
Don Perata will soon be 64 years-old and now he's the frontrunner for Oakland mayor -- with deep pockets. I was surprised to read that three serious mayoral contenders dropped out of the race after Perata's announcement to run ... now that's clout.
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