Author Topic: Another Good Idea-First on NPAC-Universities Taking over Newspapers  (Read 1454 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Ken Gigliotti

  • Retired Professional
  • Posts: 353
    • Email
Another good idea previously posted on the NPAC website gets traction. Heritage Minister Melanie Joly announces funding for a partnership with Ryerson and Facebook  for a “Digital Media Zone” to help develop innovation in journalism.

May 16 2017 NPAC website - Universities Could Take Over  Newspapers - This is not about the paper product. The evolution of journalism  and Np's is critical and colleges and universities may be the answer. The issue of news is close to Facebook.  Fake news was also discussed but Fb's involvement was not deeply understood at the time of the original post. I also mentioned "Move fast and break things," Facebook's motto as a challenge.  Note also, the newspaper industry has been dealing closely with the Heritage Ministry and this should be a sign the newspaper business may not be a place they have faith in saving. I like to think the ideas are for the very few people who will be in leadership roles in the newspaper business in the next five years. Digital moves much faster than that.News is an important area to be guarded.

This sounds like an idea that I had some time ago that built on the existing bridge between newspapers internships and journalism schools. J-Schools could easily move into the space with partnerships with existing newspaper companies to produce  a revenue stream. If you think of US college sports using students as labor for jobs they are training for ,it is not a too far to think a college or university could simply take up that role. Newspaper companies could be a part of that with existing production campuses  located across the country in existing newspaper plants with a ready supply of mentors.

A newspaper newsroom may not be the best place for innovation, Facebook is a good match ,but this is a newspaper opportunity to bring the change that could save them.

To a newspaper executive the answers to these types of  questions would be, there is no money for this. The response should be, can newspaper afford not to create that bridge. There is likely a tax advantage. There is likely sustainability for an industry literally begging for government help.

Ideas are out there. The bold are acting on them.

But we should think of the idea as another good idea ,in the space newspapers are already in to be missed or to pass on. Our business cannot be a follower in this space. Opinion by Ken Gigliotti

« Last Edit: September 29, 2017, 05:03 PM by Ken Gigliotti »


Offline Ken Gigliotti

  • Retired Professional
  • Posts: 353
    • Email
Re: Another Good Idea-First on NPAC-Universities Taking over Newspapers
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2017, 10:28 PM »
YEAH. Global News and the Toronto Star supported by four Canadian universities  on a story about dangerous health emission of hydrogen sulphite (H2S) from oil wells in western Canada. Global National flashed a credit naming the universities in this unprecedented story. You have to think the journalism and science of journalism has a good back story. Yeah. These cooperations are good for all parties. With the destructive aspects of  fast moving information ,these areas of cooperation can prove to be positive and evolutionary.
The University of Minnesota ran a very interesting TV ad on their research aspirations regarding drug addiction. Very cool. Aggressive. This is about being noticed for the right reasons.
Newspapers need this more than ever.
Future searches add extra life to stories like these for years to come if the right words bring back these stories easily. This something that the newspaper trade is missing in many cases.Well researched stories have a very long afterlife.
Student interns have told me many times that they learned more in two weeks working at the paper than they do in a year of university. The daily work of journalism is practical, publishing means something.We all should never forget this. 

« Last Edit: October 03, 2017, 11:27 AM by Ken Gigliotti »