New ideas at the FreeP

It's nice to see that the Winnipeg Free Press is taking steps to evolve and diversify at a time when the future of media industry is uncertain and constantly in a state of flux.

I was just reading an article about the "News Cafe" that the paper plans to open in the Exchange in the spring. The Free Press describes the cafe as a place that people can come for food and interaction with journalists. I like the idea of having working journalists in the downtown area, instead of just operating out of the Free Press offices on the edge of the city.

This new office/cafe seems like an ideal spot for more co-operative work between the Free Press and journalism students in Red River College's Creative Communication program. That seems like a win/win for both parties involved.

Whether this new Free Press venture lives up to its potential remains to be seen, but it's nice to know that the "old guard" of the Winnipeg media is thinking outside the box. The staff has introduced a lot of new features in the last year, including Winnipeg Free Press TV, live-tweeting of events, interactive chats, and large amounts of video content. The Free Press seems to be catching on to the interactive role that media plays at the present time.