On the News Desk

As you probably know I believe in collaborative news projects. News is not dying. People are information hounds who will search out the information they want. The traditional news model is changing because of this. We must find ways to be relevant.

A coworker said today that the one benefit television news still has is the immediacy of live video along with the human contact. Notice she tagged on human contact. Twitter, facebook, YouTube, etc. may beat news crews to the scene and start sharing pictures, video and chatter before any live element hits the airwaves, but still news broadcasts, television or web, can combine all those elements and show the human side through the eye witness and even the reporter or anchor. Frankly it all works hand in hand to show a complete story as it unfolds.

A newsroom that knows this and is willing to participate beyond the television broadcast will stay relevant. Will this relevancy ever reach the relevancy of years past? Probably not.

No, I have no supporting documents for my statement. This is just my belief – a belief that propels me to continue to step outside of all comfort zones to make it all work together. Often I have the song, “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold,” running through my head non-stop as I work in this way!

When this same coworker asked me two weeks ago to come up with ways to incorporate the social media realm with certain ratings-period stories BEFORE the stories air, I forced myself to maintain all appropriate business behavior instead of giving into the urge of doing a jig of excitement. Hey, I had to maintain my credibility. This is what I’ve been asking to do for months.  Often I've seen fear of the unknown, or doubt, or you’re crazy reflections in the eyes of those around me.

I already had several ideas in my head, but the largest aspect of the social media community is being social and not afraid to ask questions. One of the major wrong turns traditional media took was to shout the news and determine how it would all work without thinking to ask the viewers their opinions. I turned to Twitter and facebook to ask people what social media news collaborations they’d like to see. I received good ideas and good caution warnings.

What surprised me though is no one discussed collaborating on a story before the story is on the news. I even said this over and over and still no one chimed in with an idea. Eventually I shared my ideas on this and received support and encouragement. I wondered if traditional media has programmed the whole to not have the ability to even consider such an idea. If done would there be some sort of giant shift in the news time continuum where all we know would change forever?

I don’t know. But, I’m going to try it - with the support of the station - and let happen what may.

Image source.