Conversations: Am I Missing Something? Help!

I’m no scholar, but I did Google the terms “saving journalism” and “future of journalism”, and didn’t find the answer I was looking for, so I’m turning it over to you.

With all the doom and gloom recently, Newspapers are f’ed, you’d think that someone would have stepped-in by now and tried to help revive our dying industry, right? That’s what I’m asking.

I’m a glass half-full kinda guy, but even I’m beginning to see the glass as a little more empty every day. I’ll admit it, I’m scared.
I know there are deep pockets in journalism, for example, The Knight News Challenge contest awards $5 million for ideas using digital media to deliver news and information in real time to people in real places. There are more deep pockets, I’m sure. But how about $5 million to help deliver a saving breath to journalism, in real time.
Now this is my serious and naive question, why aren’t these deep pocket patrons of journalism, setting-up journalism incubators in major cities around the country, hiring folks from the business world and some very talented and laid off journalists, to figure this whole thing out. I’m talking about the bigger questions. Revenue models, usability and design, along with local and citizen journalism innovations, etc.

When I read things like this:

Former San Francisco Chronicle Editor Phil Bronstein said: “Anybody who tells you they have the answer to that question, ‘what’s the successful business model for journalism,’ is lying to you. Because no one has it.

Inside I’m screaming, “Shouldn’t SOMEONE have the answer? or at least be working on it?” You know, like in a Hollywood movie when a space shuttle in orbit is having trouble and the crew will die if the smart folks in the room don’t come up with an answer on how to get them back to earth, FAST. They circle the wagons, gather the smartest folks and lock them in a room until they figure this crap out!

So, is someone working on it? Please tell me they are, so I can sleep at night. I picture a smoke filled room somewhere, with important people with deep pockets, putting their resources together to figure things out? Is this just a dream? Too naive? Doesn’t corporate America do this kind of thing when they’re backed in a corner? Why can’t journalism companies and foundations do it? Are they?

-r

Obama goes to Eugene

Since I’ve been a kid, Oregon has never really played a big role in the presidential general election — with the primaries being even less important. However with the current Hilary vs Obama situation on our hands this go-round, it seems like everyone is getting a little attention. Well, Obama announced a trip to Oregon early last week and on Friday he flew into Portland and then made the jont down to Eugene to speak at the University of Oregon. Read more

Conversations: What I learned….

10 Things I Learned From Being Hacked

1. A bottle of Jack Daniels doesn’t bring your site back to life.
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Say YES to Video: Conversations part two

[Note to those of you-Colin Mulvany-who were ready to ‘push’ me of the ledge, you can’t get rid of me that easy, I may be down, but I’m not out of the video game.
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Beyond Brian Williams

When I started at the Oregon Daily Emerald as a wide-eyed, green-as-grass freshman I knew little about the changing news media landscape. I wanted to be a movie critic. As I wrote (very bad) review after (even worse) review of movies and TV shows, I soon realized that I wasn’t going to be the next Roger Ebert.
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Say NO to video: Conversations with the Video God

[Note: This is the start of a column by Richard Koci Hernandez, called Conversations with the Video God. More columns by other MMS members are starting soon]

In late 2005 I heard David J. Leeson of the Dallas Morning News speak at a conference in San Jose, Ca. When he was done, I was convinced I had just met the biggest liar in photojournalism. I was the doubting Thomas to the Prophet Leeson.
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