Media bias and the election discussed

Politico.com has an interesting discussion of media bias and the Obama-McCain election. Exceptional collection of voices from all over the spectrum with an awful lot of wheat amongst the chaff. It's a must-read for those contemplating politics and the media.

Can new, old media co-exist? Two say 'Yes'

A book by super-blogger Arianna Huffington and a conference in Indonesia both reach the conclusion that new and old media can co-exist, and even improve each other.

As could be expected, Huffington says that "journalists are blogging and bloggers are gaining credibility and stature." The first point goes without saying, and the second has more credibility to me when I think about how I received information during the recent national campaign. Most came from politico.com and from fivethirtyeight.com.

The conference, titled "New Media: The End of Conventional Media?" and sponsored by a group named the Alliance of Independent Journalists, called the current news situation a "blogosphere ecosystem" with each form of media informing the other. Despite all the inaccuracies and just plain untruths bandied about by bloggers, there are examples upon examples piling up of where mainstream journalists are picking up on information gathered by non-traditional journalists on the web.

One speaker cited the case of Situ Babakan in West Java as an example of the successful synergy between the social and mainstream media. Objecting to a local administration's plan to build a shopping mall on the lake, local environmentalists and the lake's supporters launched an online campaign to have the plan rejected. "They created a blog, informed web users about the blog and their cause through mailing lists, Facebook, online petitions and other social media. The web-based campaign generated a tremendous buzz that grabbed the mainstream media's attention. As the mainstream media picked up the issue the campaign attracted greater public support," he said.

The key was a mainstream media outlet picking up the issue, and spreading it. If I were editing a newspaper today, I'd have my staff reading over the local blogs for tidbits, just as we used to have beat reporters talk to secretaries at courthouses, then do the reporting necessary to see if the tip is worth a journalistically-sound story.

Do Pulitzers sell newspapers? A lively discussion

It's always interesting to read the letters on Jim Romenesko's blog of media news. Comments by Tribune owner Sam Zell that Pulitzers don't sell newspapers has sparked a lively discussion, well worth reading. Several comments seem to make a lot of sense while others are ridiculous. It's typical of the new media, you have to wade through a lot of chaff to find the wheat. This fact about the new media was graphically portrayed in the Luann comic strip yesterday.

State intervention sought for Connecticut newspapers

Two Connecticut legislators are seeking state intervention in hopes to save two newspapers planning to close. They aren't the first to suggest radical means to save community newspapers. Several nonprofit newspapers have been founded recently, both in print and online only editions. If the newspaper business model is broken, an alternative model may be the industry's hope.

Zell calls newspaper business model "a failure"

Sam Zell, controversial owner of the Tribune Co., speaks extensively on the newspaper industry to Portfolio magazine, calling the newspaper business model "a failure" and that Pulitzer Prizes are worthless ("I haven't figured out a way to cash in a Pulitzer Prize"). He also called his purchase of the Tribune Co. "the deal from hell." There's a lot more.

Smaller papers embrace investigations

As bigger newspapers continue to cut back, smaller papers are embracing investigative reporting, as shown in this interview.  Why? One reason is that government is ripe for reporting. With few reporters really looking at government, it becomes easy pickings for enterprising reporters. 

Another reason? I suspect its because more good reporters are finding themselves at smaller newspapers these days.  At least one recent Marquette journalism graduate, an excellent investigative reporter, finds himself doing solid research on a smaller Florida town (much to the dismay of his papers' staid management, which really doesn't want to see their boat being rocked.

Does the media have an obligation to report right away?

Newsweek doesn't think so, saying the greater depth of its post-election stories came because it promised not to report until after the election. It's a case of weighing priorities. I could create a pretty lively ethics discussion using this as an example, especially if you could throw in some "what-ifs." What if the reporters found one of the candidates had a drug habit? Or a violent temper so bad he lost control? Or was growing senile? Or couldn't control his emotions at all? All of these had been alleged against one or more of the most recent candidates. Would that change your thinking? These issues are raised during this nice story from Adam Conner-Simmons of Gelf magazine.

A bad example

As an example not to follow, it would be hard to top this. A University of Minnesota television intern first slacked off enough at her job that she was fired, then attacked the person firing her, shouting obscenities and kicking out a window. This is a good way not to get a good recommendation.

Patting college media on its back -- deservedly

Brian Murley, whose Innovation in College Media blog is one of the best around, offers a broad overview of college media's online operations, saying that, in many ways, college media has led the professional media. I concur (see marquettetribune.org for proof, updated daily).

Comic strips as revenue-generators?

Going back to the days of the Yellow Kid, newspapers have used comic strips to attract readers. This was very important at the turn of the last century when America had a large number of immigrants whose English wasn't all that hot, and a very competitive environment with many newspapers competing for the audience. Both situations exist today, obviously, just substitute other media for the competing newspapers and recognize that America today is in the midst of a wave of immigration. Newspapers, of course, have long since forgotten the promotional quality of comic strips. It's hard to find today's Sunday "funnies" in the Journal Sentinel since the section is used to wrap advertising inserts and is virtually covered by a spadea (that wrap-around advertising section). It's a long way from the days when the comics were on the outside of the newspaper. Those were the days when attracting readers was seen as the way to build a revenue stream.

Fast-forward to today. King Features is launching an ad-driven comics portal (story about it is here), in cooperation with a number of newspapers, including the JS. It offers 60 comics in full color plus a 30-day archive.

Internet beginning to impact television

Hollywood Reporter reports on a conference on whether new media is helping or hurting the television business. The consensus is mixed, but both sides say it is beginning to have an impact.

How'd that work out for you, buddy?

David Carr in the New York Times likens newspaper industry leaders to the failed management of soon-to-be-no-more Circuit City in its plan to save itself by jettisoning its most talented people -- just like newspapers are cutting their stars. As he rhetorically asks of Circuit City, "How'd that work out for you, buddy?" I've been accused of seeking to preserve the old way, and it's true, in a way. I happen to think newspapers have great reputations and ability, I just hate to see them go. Please read Carr's report.

Meanwhile, Rupert Murdoch said roughly the same thing in a Melbourne newspaper. Newspapers won't be obsolete, some editors' ideas will, he said.  A longer story is here.  I can't believe I'm seeing Rupert Murdoch as more intelligent than most newspaper leaders, but I am.  Here's a third.