Arkansas Media

Hooray, We Saved The Future Of Journalism!

Just got back from the Arkansas Society of Professional Journalists Conference in Little Rock, where about 75 lost souls gathered to hear me, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Conan “Cannon Galaxy” Gallaty and the Arkansas News Bureau’s Zack “Zack” Stovall talk about “The Future of Journalism” in a panel discussion moderated by the ADG’s John “The Croupier” Krupa.

Since I was on the panel, I couldn’t really take notes, but here is a rough summary of the key points from each presenter:

Gallaty: When media audiences are fragmenting while news consumption is growing at the same time, we believe that it’s a mistake to just take what you produce in print and just roll that over online. That’s why we’re working to develop a value-added paid content model for the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette on the web that will bring in video, databases and special features you just can’t get anywhere else. It may not be a model that works for everyone, but we feel that we need to experiment. And while there are certainly challenges for media content providers going forward, including how to address the challenge of lower advertising returns in an online environment, I’m still optimistic that young journalists with the right skills can succeed in this industry.

Stovall: What, me worry?

Kinkade: None of you seem to understand. I’m not locked in here with you….you’re locked in here with me!

And then in subsequent presentations, Max Brantley from the Arkansas Times talked about why he believes he was exactly right to publish the Arkansas concealed carry permits list, and Lance Turner did a multimedia presentation. Journalism is saved. The end.

Please follow and like us:

5 thoughts on “Hooray, We Saved The Future Of Journalism!

  • DumbArkie

    When will these makers of fish wrap begin to understand that as long as the AP et alii whore out their product to Google and Yahoo, the newspaper’s entire first section is moot by the time I read it?

    When TV news started putting a dent in the newspapers they said “well, we provide a more in-depth look at the topic.” That argument won’t work now, because the reader can go much deeper by reading what’s on the Internet.

    Hell, I’m probably reading the AP story before the illustrious newspaper editor’s flunky tears it from the ticker tape yelling, “Chief, we’ve got an exclusive!” And the only difference that MAY exist in what I read on the Internet and what the local paper produces is the addition of some local statistic which gives the article a home-grown feel. And where did they probably get that statistic? [Pause for dramatic effect]… The Internet. That’s right. The same place I get my information.

    And where’s the Save-the-Planet crowd on this one? Geez, shouldn’t they be out protesting the murdering of all those innocent trees?

    I’m done for now. Anyway, I have to go put conditioner on my buggy whip.

    Reply
  • Even a cursory perusal of the AR. Times blog reveals Brantley to be an anti-gun zealot and his rationalizations for publishing the concealed carry lists do violence to common sense. Exactly what convicted felon, intending a heist or murder, has registered with the AR. State Police to carry a concealed pistol?

    When Brantley made that list public, the concealed feature went out of the concealed carry permit. Brantley just uses FOI and other blunt government instruments, like Ethics commission complaints, to bully people he disagrees with. What makes him a coward are his tactics and hiding behind “the internet made me do” skirt.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to DumbArkie Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Arkansas Project