The UC Berkeley conference on the future of media has been hearing from some exceptionally strong speakers, but none probably more heart-wrenching and personal than the former editor and publisher of the now-defunct Rocky Mountain News.
After all, John Temple was (he acknowledges) the lead editorial hand in several decisions that exacerbated conditions making it more and more difficult to keep the paper alive.
He accepts his share of the responsibility and identifies several tripwires in his speech designed to help others avoid the Rocky's fate. It's a typically well-written speech.
Among his rules:
"Know what business you’re in.
Know your customers.
Know your competition.
Know your goal.
Have a strategy and be committed to pursuing it.
Measure, measure, measure.
Keep new ventures free from the rules of the old.
Let the people running a new venture do what’s best for their business, regardless of the potential impact on the old.
To compete in a new medium, you have to understand it.
Invest in R&D."
After all, John Temple was (he acknowledges) the lead editorial hand in several decisions that exacerbated conditions making it more and more difficult to keep the paper alive.
He accepts his share of the responsibility and identifies several tripwires in his speech designed to help others avoid the Rocky's fate. It's a typically well-written speech.
Among his rules:
"Know what business you’re in.
Know your customers.
Know your competition.
Know your goal.
Have a strategy and be committed to pursuing it.
Measure, measure, measure.
Keep new ventures free from the rules of the old.
Let the people running a new venture do what’s best for their business, regardless of the potential impact on the old.
To compete in a new medium, you have to understand it.
Invest in R&D."
