The future of journalism is a much-discussed topic, but last week's gathering at the Googleplex of some 80 thought-leaders in the field seems to have made for a much-better-than-typical session.

J.D. Lasica, the prominent social media leader, summarized six points from the Techdirt Saves Journalism gathering as keys to successful journalism organizations:

1. Mine data for opportunities. Really look at numbers and trends in the business.
2. Elevate your writers.
3. Create a platform for your community.
4. Expand revenue streams.
5. Branch out into different communications purposes.
6. Stay open to the changed definition of news.

Lasica's sober assessment: "In the end, what was left unsaid was the reality that making a living as a journalist is about to get a lot harder, and that the news business is already being bifurcated into a shrinking elite of professional journalists alongside a burgeoning ecosystem of bloggers, hobbyists and amateurs who write and report for very different reasons."