IMPORTANT CONTEST NOTICE:
The Associated Press Managing Editors has revised its 2004 contest cycle. These will be key dates for the Freedom of Information, Public Service, Online Convergence and International Perspective Awards:
- May 31 - Contest period ends
- June 1 - Postal deadline for sending entries
- June 7 - Entries must be received at APME offices in New York
This action is due to AP's scheduled headquarters move in July. APME's offices are part of that move. We regret any inconvenience.
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WEB ORIGINAL CONTENT KEY TO THE FUTURE
Take a minute to read this brief synopsis from online pioneer Steve Yelvington of what's wrong with newspapers and their Web sites. Here's an excerpt: "We, the newspaper industry, are guilty of spending way too much time, energy and attention on technology (how we do it) and not enough on product vision (what we do). The result has been too many 'online newspapers' that replicate all of the shortcomings and weaknesses of old media. All too often we take the easy way out, building Web sites out of recycled print components. We even talk about how 'the Web site is just another edition of the newspaper.' Then we fret that the Web is 'cannibalizing' print circulation and wonder where the 24-year-olds are going."
And take a look at the results of a new study on the state of the media: "The primary finding is that Internet journalism is still largely a medium made up of second-hand material, usually from the old media. Overall, only about a third of the lead articles on the sites studied was material produced by the organization's own staff. And much of that came from a few of the sites, particularly those from newspapers, posting articles from their print parents. Thus even most of this material was not original to the Web."
Read these, then imagine how you're going to create Web-original content for your newspaper site. Share with us some of your ideas.
CONFERENCE CONTENT
What would it take to get you and your online staff to attend the APME Conference in Louisville Oct. 13-16? APME's Multimedia Committee is planning a set of online-specific workshops for Friday afternoon, followed by a Saturday morning Multimedia Summit to talk about issues that affect all of us. We're talking about sessions for small, medium and large operations, tackling subjects such as: Working with local TV and radio to bring in multimedia content; how to better incorporate the Web in print project planning; what you can do with staff-written blogs; and emerging technology. We also might offer critique sessions and "how-to" sessions from some of the award-winners. Give us your ideas, specific suggestions.
ONLINE READER FORUMS
Several Web editors responded to last month's item about problems with online reader forums. Forums everywhere, it seems, bring out the worst, most uncivil behavior. Here's a continuation of that discussion on the Convergence Chaser blog on the Poynter.org Web site.
FEATURED WEB SITES
Guardian Unlimited, a U.K. news site, has a little bit of fun at the expense of government bureaucrats battling a budget crisis. This flash presentation, "Gord of the Rings" shows how "Mount Doom's budget black hole is growing bigger:" For those of you who can't get or don't watch Comedy Central, the network's Web site shows clips of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Mixed in with the biting political satire are interviews with people such as Richard Clarke and Al Franken. Find any news Web sites offering this kind of entertaining take on the news? Let us know.
The online portion of this edition was written by Ken Sands, managing editor of online and new media, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash., and a member of the APME Board of Directors.
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GREAT IDEAS 2004 NEEDED FOR CONFERENCE
The hunt for Great Ideas 2004 is already under way, so gain exposure for your best work by contributing to this year's booklet and conference presentation. For the 2004 conference in Louisville, APME has set a goal of developing an even better Great Ideas booklet and workshop to showcase the best work from newspapers across the country. Content contributions will be needed throughout the year. We are seeking content from papers of every size. What constitutes a Great Idea? Anything that other editors can learn from. It may be a cutting-edge concept or a major improvement to something that we do every day.
As you think about what to share, consider:
- Outstanding content from any section
- Ideas that generate reader involvement
- Content strategies or niche publications that work to capture hard-to-reach audiences
- Content for young readers
- Newsroom management concepts that forward creativity, teamwork
- Approaches that forward diversity in the newsroom or in the community
- Photography and graphics content
- Bringing news of the world to the reader's door
- Web strategies, especially as they relate to breaking or in-depth coverage
- Just plain cool stuff
- Strong approaches to community news
Avoid the last-minute rush and help the production flow of this useful journalism tool. Please e-mail tightly written descriptions of your ideas and electronic page images to Lance Johnson, editor of The Day, New London, Conn. Tear sheets will be accepted and photographed, but electronic images are preferred.
COOPERATION KUDOS: MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO AP REPORTS
These members will receive APME Instant Citations for their assistance on recent stories.
- Radio station WKXW-FM, Trenton, N.J., for alerting the New Jersey AP that a high-speed rail line connecting Philadelphia to the suburbs had been shut down because of a bomb threat just at the beginning of the afternoon rush hour.
- The Herald-Argus of LaPorte, Ind., for early details and other information when two people were killed and a police officer was wounded in nearby Michigan City.
- The Roswell (N.M.) Daily Record for willingly sharing with all AP members dramatic photos of a tornado that touched down near the southeastern New Mexico city.
- The Albuquerque Journal and the Gallup Independent for contributing several photos from an April 8 gasoline refinery explosion near Gallup in western New Mexico. First word of the explosion came from news director John McBreen at Gallup's KYVA-AM, which also will receive a citation.
- The Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News for first word to the Albuquerque AP bureau that a rancher accused of assaulting federal officers had been released from jail. The rancher has been involved in a very public fight with authorities about cattle grazing rights.
- The South Bend (Ind.) Tribune for sharing on-cycle photos of a Bremen, Ind., factory fire.
- The Republic of Columbus, Ind., for photos of an accident that backed up traffic on Interstate 65 near Edinburgh.
- The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, for sharing photos of the mother of a civilian security worker killed in Iraq.
- The Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald for sharing on-cycle with other members a photograph of firefighters battling a four-alarm fire in the historic Old Market area.
- The Pecos (Texas) Enterprise for several instances of member cooperation, including giving AP quick word of the collapse of part of a bridge over Interstate 20, transmitting photos from Toyah where a 3-foot wall of water had moved through town, and sharing other photos from a deadly multi-vehicle accident.
- The Brainerd (Minn.) Daily Dispatch for sharing its story and photos on-cycle when Corrections Commissioner Joan Fabian met with residents of a woman believed kidnapped by a sex offender who was released amid controversy.
AP Photo/Carolyn Cole, Los Angeles Times
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Also, congratulations to Carolyn Cole of the Los Angeles Times for contributing the March Member Showcase Photo of the Month. Her image, taken March 9 during widespread unrest in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, showed a man mourning the death of his brother, shot moments early by U.S. Marines when the men's taxi failed to stop as they approached a roadblock set up to stop looting.
