Newspapers, probably. Journalism, hell no!
It’s really hard to be an ink-stained wretch these days. As a former ink-stained wretch, I count among my brethren anyone who gets paid putting yesterday’s news on the streets.
This week, one of my good pals from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram announced he was getting out of the business. Too many friends know this is what they must do, but they don’t know how to do it.
Seth Godin wrote a blog post this week that sums it up beautifully. Essentially he wrote that no one is going to save the status quo. “The status quo is leaving the building.” Those that hope to save themselves either have to find something else to do or evolve.
Unfortunately, a lot of reporters are trapped in media that find it hard to evolve. Newspapers have to stop thinking of how to save themselves and figure out new ways to do what they do best: Disseminate the news. I really would pay for that.
