BarCamp NewsInnovation: How to Reenergize the News Industry
Over 100 journalists and news loving people from all over the east coast gathered together for the BarCamp NewsInnovation in Philadelphia, an event to brainstorm how to reenergize the new industry and discuss ideas for preparing for what is to come in the future of journalism, on Saturday, April 25, at Temple University.
The non-conference was the last of the series of national brainstorming events in the region. Upon arrival there was no planned schedule so participants were depended on to fill the designated slots with either discussion topics or a planned demonstration of his or her ideas both in regards to the future of the ever changing news industry. The event was planned by Sean Blanda, Jared Silfies, and Brian James Kirk of Temple University.
Participants were greeted at 10 a.m. with Dunkin Donuts, teased with a limited amount of pizza for lunch, and at 6 p.m. left with a grab bag of junkets promoting Philadelphia.
The topics discussed ranged from subjects as complex as the business model failure to issues as broad as the branding of a journalist.
Just a few journalists who led discussions included: Wendy Warren, editor of Philly.com, Steven King, editor of innovations at the Washington Post, Patrick Thorton, founder of Beatblogger, and Scott Karp, CEO of publish2.
Throughout classrooms scattered from the basement to the third floor in Anneberg Hall, the sound of tapping computers keys was non-stop as journalists blogged the event live or tweeted characters to their maximum limit on Twitter. The entire day participants had their laptop, I-Phone, or traditional pen and notebook in hand and the future of journalism on their minds.
Howard Weaver, 59, a longtime newspaper editor, is concerned with the 24-hour news cycle the internet has brought to journalism. He said, this change in relationship between the journalist and the audience is the biggest change and “we’re behind catching up.”
Due to the conglomeration of media outlets, globalization, and new technology, the news model of traditional mainstream media is failing. Advertisers are no longer relying on newspapers and television for advertisements because not enough people are watching or reading from a single news outlet. Therefore, due to the lack of funds from advertising, which journalism relies on, the field is desperate for a new business model.
“When the newspaper was delivered it had an agenda” Karp said, “now content is floating.” He asserts that because of the power of the internet now “all we have is our content.”
The internet has allowed Americans to get the news they want easily, quickly, and whenever they desire. The internet has led to an information overload and the new crazes such as blogging and twitter created a journalistic phenomenon. This new technologically savvy mindset was prevalent at the BarCamp.
The internet has had both positive and negative effects to industry.
Amy Quinn, freelancer and adjunct at Rowan University in New Jersey, said thanks to the internet she built her personal brand as a blogger and a freelancer. She believes “people don’t want to be talked at anymore.” She believes the audience wants to interact and become personal with the journalist so as an individual, with the help of blogs and twitter, one can achieve this.
Seth Goldstein, Web designer, said that institutions tend to be unethical and one does not have to have classical training today to be a credible journalist.
Goldstein says with social media, with which he is obsessed, “more and more people can get inside,” and today people are fascinated with bloggers. Goldstein said he has more than five Twitter accounts and believes Twitter will incorporate ads into their feeds successfully because “corporate America loves Twitter.”
Eric Richmond, journalist, disagrees and said news on the internet is like grabbing a handful of sand and because of the internet “media companies can’t sustain.”
The idea of information overload was accurately presented at this event and demonstrates a good example of what the field of Journalism is evolving into.
The internet may help the distribution of information making it fast and easy but it is detrimental to professional journalists and prospective students when considering a traditional job in the field.
Bobbi Lee Hitchson is among the many Journalism students and current professionals who are questioning their chosen career path, nervous about where the news industry is going, and fearful of not being able to find a job.
With evident frustration and hopelessness in her posture, Hitchson slumped over her desk in the Annenberg Hall classroom. “Nostalgic,” is the word Hitchson used to describe what she thought of her four years of Journalism education at Rowan University. Hitchson explained she feels Journalism school was a waste of money because it seems today anyone can acquire the skills needed and the industry is failing.
Because the economy is in a downturn even current professionals have a negative attitude toward the future of journalists because companies are laying off current employees instead of hiring new ones. So far newspapers alone have laid off thousands of journalists and many newspapers have went out of business.
Michael Klein, columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer said with irony in his voice, “we’re in bankruptcy.”
At this time in the history of journalism it seems in order to get the business thriving again the field needs reenergizing. According to participants at the BarCamp News Innovation, it seems because the industry is fighting to recover from the modern dilemma caused by the internet it also needs reorganizing.
Many innovated ideas were voiced at the event but no definite answers were provided.
As Jackie Hai, student from University of Massachusetts headed to the publish2 event, she said in regards to the future of journalism, “Sit back and watch the fireworks.”
This event was sponsored by the School of Communications and Theater at Temple University, ReportingOn, SEJ, Technically Philly, publish2, and The City University of New York School of Journalism.
For more information go to www.bcniphilly.com or use the code name #BCNIPhilly on Twitter, which was ranked 3rd that day for the most read tweeps.
By: Stephanie Lauren. Final Project for Writing for Journalism, event story.
Pictured in respective order, Steven King, Amy Quinn, Member of CoPress.org
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