AN INSIDE PEEK AT WHERE WORKING JOURNALISTS GO

FOR BACKGROUND ON THE SPECIALTY THEY WRITE ABOUT 

Check this study, all of you authors who are searching for better coverage in the press. 

George Washington University has recently released a report on the way reporters and editors find sources to help them complete an article. Of the nearly 750 journalists questioned, one hundred percent stated they regularly use web sites for editing and reporting.  Information from PR professionals is used by 94% and 87% said they regularly refer to press kits. 

With more than numbers using the Web as their primary tool regardless of age, the myth that the Internet is principally a young person’s tool was exploded. The study found that those who use the Web “all the time” was highest among ages 30 to 49-year-olds. Journalists 50 years and older were the second highest group, with 29 and younger the least frequent users. 

In a surprising finding for those who have been wooed by the alleged popularity of social networking, the study discovered that these sites and podcasting are the least used by journalists on assignment. 

The study respondents also called for improvements in “pitches.” They include tighter and clearer writing, less promotional copy and more news. They also asked promoters to better understand the target reporter’s specialty before they send material. 

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NEW EMPHASIS ON DIGITAL CAUSING

SOME FRICTION AT COLUMBIA JOURNALISM SCHOOL 

There’s been a substantial difference of opinion among faculty members at the prestigious Columbia University School of Journalism, long considered the premier in this specialty. The school recently announced it was incorporating a degree of training in the digital field to its traditional curriculum showpiece, Reporting and Writing 1. 

The school has long stressed training in concise writing, accurate reporting and journalistic ethics in its effort to turn out well trained and highly qualified graduates. It has always been generally believed that a degree from the school will open the door at most newspapers and magazines and more recently in the broadcast world. 

The traditional wing of the faculty opposes the move with some members going sp far as to call digital reporting “an experimentation in gadgetry.” 

Widely respected Dean Nicholas Lehmann takes a more cautious position. He says, “You have to have some familiarity, or you’re not able to execute a web site,“ and adds, “There’s this big, huge fundamental issue: How much of the skills do you teach.” Lehmann points out the school should not be replicating the kind of courses taught by The Learning Annex, an online school. 

As a proud alumnus of the school, I suggest those recalcitrant faculty members wake up to reality. Digital journalism is here to stay. Hopefully, it will never fully replace print. That would be a grave loss to our American cultural scene. But that concern certainly can’t override the reality that digital journalism will play a major role in the future or that digital web sites and blogs aren’t key resources for working journalists print, broadcast and digital. (See the result of the George Washington University study above.) 

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SIGN OF THE (TOUGH) TIMES:

PAID ADVERTISING ON MAGAZINE COVERS 
 

It began with newspapers struggling keep their budgets out of the red. Ads appeared on the bottom of page one in several papers, with a stray occasionally sneaking up above the fold. Now the magazine world is jumping aboard the trend, despite the guidelines set forth by the American Society of Magazine Editors. 

Sid Holt, CEO of the Society, was quoted in Media Post on the subject. “The guidelines are very clear that the cover is editorial space and advertising should not appear,” but adds that “the Society doesn’t want to tell publishers how to operate their businesses.” 

The controversy surfaced again when Scholastic Parent & Child announced that a cover ad will appear in the April edition for the first time in the magazine’s history. Others are being planned as well. The ad will be labeled as an advertisement, a company official stated. 

The rationale put forth by advocates of the move cites newspaper page one ads (even the stately New York Times has been doing it for years) and home pages of web sites many of which are packed with advertising. Indeed, the situation has become so rampant that the Online Publishers Association recently formulated its own guidelines for digital publications. 

Frankly, guidelines are great, but within reason, bottom lines are pretty important too. With the major upheavals in the print publishing world and the squeeze of the economic meltdown, even the  cranky old news dog writing this blog is willing to cut publishers some slack. 

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MORE DETAILS ON THE MONITOR’S DECISION TO BECOME

THE FIRST MAJOR PAPER TO CONVERT FROM PRINT TO DIGITAL 

The Christian Science Monitor, a widely respected daily newspaper delivered principally by postal mail, has announced a dual distribution platform beginning on the first of April, 2009. Daily content in print will end and an online format called CSMonitor.com will launch.  

The daily news content will be delivered as a multi-page PDF that is easy to download. It will be subscription-based and updated continuously throughout the day. The goal is to “deliver the Monitor’s journalism more quickly, to improve timeliness and relevance and to increase revenue and reduce costs,” according to Judy Wolff, chair of the Board of Trustees of the paper’s sponsoring Society. 

A weekly summary edition will be available in print for subscribers. The lead article will be an in-depth analysis of a major global issue or trend. Dispatches from its correspondents around the globe and from Washington, as well as a number of features and photographs, will round out the weekly publication.  

These innovations come in the 100^th anniversary year of this outstanding newspaper. The actual birthday is later in November. Over those years, the Monitor has captured seven Pulitzers and a variety of other accolades. Three of its editors have served as presidents of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. 

When a paper that is so highly respected and so highly honored pioneers this dramatic move, can it be a harbinger of things to come? Concerned journalists are watching with bated breath, although the Monitor states that very few jobs will be lost under this conversion. We’ll see.  

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A FASCINATING STUDY REVEALS THE IMPACT

LOCAL INDIE STORES HAVE ON A COMMUNITY’S ECONOMY 

With the American Booksellers Association (ABA) heavily promoting the importance to their communities of local independent book stores, a study by Local First of Grand Rapids, Michigan, takes the guesswork out of the benefits. 

The study concluded that just a 10 % move in market share from chain stores to local indies would have an enormous impact on the West Michigan economy. A total of 1,600 new jobs would be created, generating $53 million in wages. The total impact was estimated at $137 million.  

Last month the new IndieBound Community of bookstores was launched online. It offers readers a central location to share thoughts on books, on favorite indie book sellers and a variety of other interesting topics with fellow indie bookstore devotees. ABA has been dispatching staffers around the country to visit indie stores and stimulate greater interest in its IndieBound program.   

Authors and publishers can take advantage of the growing importance of these indie retailers. Just last week, I included a blurb on the “Creative Alerts” program that allows participants to alert 2,500 bookstores from coast to coast to new promotions they are offering. Take advantage. The result will be well worth the modest effort.

THE MAGAZINE OUTLOOK CONTINUES

TO LOOK BLEAK FOR FREELANCERS

The Wooden Horse, Meg Weaver’s always informative weekly report on the periodicals industry reveals that even inflight magazines have succumbed to the advertising downturn just as stalwarts like O The Oprah Magazine and Every Day with Rachael Ray have. Two inflights, Hemispheres and US Airways, are produced by Pace Communications, which is down by 12% in ad pages according to MediaPost.com.

The list of publications with ad slippage is quite disturbing. Industry leaders like Conde Nast (down 7.8%), Time Inc (down 9.3%), Hearst (down 4.5%) and Meredith (down 15.9%) are an example of the way even the “top ten” of the industry have slipped.

It’s a trend that has affected many of the lower tier publications that are at the top of their niches as well, MediaPost reports. Forbes’ ad count is down 20.1%,  Frommer’s Budget Travel is off by 19.4% and USNews & World Report has slipped by 33.6%.

Pretty good reason for those of us who depend on freelance articles for survival to pull in the belt and keep an eye open for supplemental possibilities like perhaps copyediting (almost always in demand at publications), writing for paid Internet sites and the possibilities of commercial writing for corporate PR departments.

A BIT OF GOOD NEWS FOR

FREELANCERS SERVING THE JUVENILE MARKET

Despite the upsetting news we reported above, National Geographic has had the courage to launch a new publication, this one designed for 3 to 6-year olds.  Only the web site accepts advertising right now, not the print edition.

National Geographic Little Kids is all about science, nature and animals. It presents its info in a variety of forms including puzzles and games. There are also articles for parents offering teaching tips to help develop curiosity and a desire to explore in their kids, as well as improved pre-reading and reading skills. Check your favorite search engine for more information.

DIGITAL PUBLISHING SAVES THE DAY

FOR SCOTT MCCLELLAN’S WHITE HOUSE EXPOSE 

Scot McClellan’s  problem was very different from Ron Suskind’s. According to an interesting article in Book Business Magazine, the memoir of his White House experiences sold so well that Perseus could not fill orders.  

By chance Perseus Publisher Peter Osnos bumped into John Ingram of the Ingram Book Group at Book Expo, and talked of his dilemma. Ingram immediately suggested he turn the file over to his Lightning Source division for a rush digital printing.  

The file arrived on the Monday morning following Expo, and was on press by the afternoon. Several thousand orders of this hardback, jacketed book were saved and filled within 48 hours. 

Lightning Source is a publishing on demand (POD) house that has grown in popularity because of its relationship to parent company Ingram. It is trying to expand its reach into other areas of publishing. Digital printing, however, now represents only 2 to 3% of total book volume, according to market research firm Interquest. 

AAP’s NEW PROGRAM WILL HELP YOU

KEEP TRACK OF FOREIGN SALES TRENDS 

One category of publishing data that never received due attention is now on the agenda at AAP (Association of American Publishers). The industry group announced that it is launching a pilot program “to obtain and process aggregate net sales in Europe by U.S. publishers.” 

AAP has been a leader in providing accurate sales data for books here in the States, and promises to tailor its overseas program similarly.  The data will be collected and kept confidential by Management Practice Inc, and outside consulting firm. 

Publishers who want to participate can find the questionnaire to complete on the web site

www.publishers.org/main/IndustryStats/indStats_01_01.htm. For more information, contact Tina Jordan at tjordan@publishers.org.

PUT THIS IN YOUR APPOINTMENT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER

PBS WILL AIR A FASCINATING PIECE ON BOOKSTORES 

With all the attention being paid to indie bookstores these days, make sure you don’t miss the new documentary Paperback Dreams that will run on PBS stations starting in November. Book retailers viewed a special presentation of the film during Book Expo when the new PR program for independent local bookstores was unveiled. 

The film chronicles two renowned California bookstores, Kepler’s Books and Magazines and Cody’s Books to demonstrate the changing dynamics of the indie retail market over the past 50 years.  
 

Filmmaker Alex Beckstead, who conceived of the documentary and is a devoted supporter of indies, summarizes their ills, “The thing is, there are very few, if any, people who dislike an independent bookstore. But they don’t do a good job of getting their own story out. If anything, I hope this film makes people take a little more interest in the stores in their communities.”