News Notes
Welcome to News notes, where I discuss local and national media issues and anything else that crosses my mind. My name is Dan Shaw, and I am an assistant professor of journalism at Monroe County Community College. Over the last 30 or so years I’ve been a reporter, city editor, news editor, managing editor, executive editor and publisher of newspapers in seven states. In other words, I’ve had trouble keeping a job. But in the process I’ve soaked up a little journalism and have perspectives to share on a variety of topics. I hope you’ll join me in the conversation
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Newspapers not quite Humvees yet
4/11/12 3:13 PM
Just how bad off is the newspaper industry? David Carr, media writer for the New York Times, characterized newspapers as like used Humvees – “a hulking beast that has lost relevance in a changed landscape.” In his usual eloquent prose, Carr described the decline of the industry, which he notes is about half the size as seven years ago. He didn’t say whether he was referring to revenue, profits, or number of employees, but all would be about right. In a fascinating development, the editor of the Boston Globe – which is owned by the New York Times – responded with a letter to the editor, which was printed in the Times. How often does that happen? Marty Baron took issue with Carr’s metaphor. Newspapers may be struggling financially, he said, but they are still...Times “truth” controversy raises tough questions
1/13/12 4:46 PM
The first week of the semester has just ended, a week in which I spend time in all my classes talking about the purpose of journalism. “Tell the truth,” ranks high on the list. There are others, of course: Report the news, be a watchdog over the powerful, entertain, uncover injustice, provide a forum for community discussion, etc. Ironically this subject became a national debate in journalism circles when Arthur Brisbane, public editor of the New York Times, asked the question in a blog post: “Should The Times Be a Truth Vigilante?” There was immediate and vitriolic reaction from across the blogosphere, which ranged from “Duh,” to anger that he would dare to ask the question. Some of the reaction, however, seriously tackled the...Blogging shifts toward longer, less frequent
12/30/11 4:57 PM
The concept of blogging has been shifting with the sands for the last decade or so – since the Internet opened the door to anyone who wanted to write. A recent blog post on the Idealab site – where they’ve been researching new media trends - suggests that the sand is shifting again – this time toward more long-form blogging. That works for me, since it’s essentially what I’ve done from the beginning. When I launched “Blogsmonroe.com” a half-dozen years ago (I was managing editor of the Monroe Evening News at the time), I emphasized three things to prospective bloggers: 1) Write frequently. The more often the better. I suggested at least three times a week. 2) Write about something you know, something...Taking the longer, harder road to college
12/16/11 10:50 AM
Sometimes you hear something sad, wonderful and biting – all at the same time. Those were my reactions to a short essay on National Public Radio yesterday. A young man, Sayre Quevedo, talked about his college dreams, and how they were smashed when he received his FAFSA – the federal financial aid report – and realized he couldn’t afford the high quality colleges that already had accepted him. Sad , yes. You could hear it in his voice. But there was something wonderfully courageous about his reaction. It wasn’t to cry and give up. A year later, he’s now working two jobs while putting himself through his local community college. And, I suspect, he’s learning life lessons that a full-ride scholarship to college never...Stop Online Piracy Act a wild, dull ax
11/18/11 9:34 AM
I love free speech debates. As would be expected from a journalist, I usually come down on the side of openness and oppose any government intervention. So I’ve watched with enthusiasm the furor of the last few days, as the online world awoke to SOPA – the Stop Online Piracy Act now being considered by Congress. Like many proposed laws, the intentions are noble. The people who create entertainment – movies and music, for example – need a way to crack down on piracy. I agree with the principle of protecting intellectual property rights. SOPA, if approved, would give the federal government the ability to shut down websites that encourage or allow piracy – without a court hearing. And it allows corporations to bring suit to shut down sites they...
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