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."
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."
