Yesterday during our weekly seminar, John White, the deputy online editor of the Winnipeg Free Press, came down to discuss the paper's plans and ideas to bring itself into the modern new media reality. The discussion was both encouraging and discouraging. It was encouraging in the fact that it seems that the Free Press is interested in developing social media vehicles and making better use of the online medium. But it was also discouraging because the talk higlighted how set in their ways "old school" newspaper people are. It seems like it's going to be a slow and ardous process to develop these new vehicles.
After the seminar we had a very spirited discussion in PR class about journalism (?!) and the future of the Free Press. Kenton Larsen talked about an idea he was formulating, involving CreComm students and neighbourhood reporting. I think this is where the future of the Free Press is; hyper-localism. International and national news can be found much quicker through numerous other outlets. A shift to hyper-local journalism (web based) will encourage effective two-way communication between the media (the Free Press) and its readership. It will facilitate communication and likely engage a younger audience, that is more community oriented.
What it comes down to, is the Free Press needs to re-evaluate its target audience and the type of news and issues that it covers, if it wants to remain a viable business.
Step one is to get rid of On7.
Badezimmer Bocholt
2 years ago
I'm not a fan of On7 either. On the seventh day, the readers rested!
ReplyDeleteThe Free Press has really quite deteriorated over the years. I regularly read the paper during the '70s and I have to say that it is not much better than The Sun these days. I've been reading the Calgary Herald for 30 years now and it has improved immensely since I moved here. In fact it has evolved in the exact opposite direction of the Free Press (devolve). Too bad for the FP.
ReplyDeleteAs for a web based news paper, I'm not in favour of this because the light from a monitor is transmitted while from a paper, it is reflected. Much easier on the eyes. I still enjoy the feel of a newspaper in the morning.
U. Dan