Riva Gold, writing for The Atlantic Online, notes data from the American Society of News Editors that points to a stall in the advancement of women and minorities in U.S. newsrooms and a decline in their representation. Where there had been progress, there now isn't. In some instances the results were due to a lack of hiring, while in others it had to do with cuts to the most recent hires due to employment contracts. Whatever the cause, minority representation is a casualty of the financial challenges for the industry, she reports.
Gregory Galant, writing for Fortune, examines social sharing of journalism and whether it constitutes a good measurement of value. He notes the flaws (people haven't read what they share, the sharing is a popularity contest not a value contest, and so on) but recognizes the insights sharing provides and the increasing necessity of producing work that others value enough to pass along.
Anne Wong, writing for the International Newsmedia Marketing Association blog, identifies critical characteristics for publishers these days. She calls them a survival guide. They seem self-evident, she notes, but some don't abide them: content is king, build a stronger brand, be social, anywhere on any platform, diverse revenue sources, diverse skill sets.