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| Image Source: http://www.brynosaurus.com/funny/Explain.jpg |
A friend and I were reminiscing about “old times,” especially our writing in one organization’s publication that allowed us to, as Howard Owens put it, “start telling people everything you can about what’s going on in their community right now.”
The publication, much to our disappointment, had started taking the following steps:
- Out-sourced the articles to writers in other areas
- Switched to a glossy, advertising-paid look, forsaking its humble beginnings as a journal for member-created content
- Taken on the appearance that is common among magazines that are full of advertising but lack substance
- Discarded the “old” stable of state-wide writers and authors–the membership–for outsourced articles from strangers to the community.
My colleague was trying to understanding why the successful publication had made the adjustment. I consoled him, writing the following:
…they are outsourcing the writing for a magazine that needs to come from [state] educators, not people from all over. With the abundance of content available online, if you aren’t offering local “color” then what value is a print publication?
As I re-read my response, I recalled the words of Howard Owens cited at the top of this blog post, and I couldn’t help but wonder how long before the uniformity of outside voices lost the interest of the publication’s community.
Then, looking at my friend, I realized it already had.
It’s not that the “outside” voices aren’t important to listen to, but if I want to read that stuff, I can go online and read blogs, many of which are better written than many articles in national magazines. What I don’t have easy access to is content where an educator in a school district in my state is sharing what they are doing to achieve the State’s Long Range Plan for Technology, facilitate online professional learning, embrace the National Education Technology Plan from our Community’s perspective.
While I trust the members of my PLN because they prove themselves day in and day out, citing my PLN to work colleagues seldom “cuts the ice” that insulates local districts from innovations they have yet to embrace. However, if I say, “This district here” did it this way and then wrote about it, or was featured, that results in a different reception altogether.
That’s the power of Community. I look to state-wide publications, sharing stories of success from organization members as MORE valuable than stories of success from the world at large. While there is no denying that you need both types of stories, the former can scaffold organizational learning that shows culture change is possible from our State’s unique perspective.
Quotes:
Forget “value-added journalism” — Think, disruptive innovation | Howard Owens
- Howard Owens’s blog
- Forget “value-added journalism” — Think, disruptive innovation
- from Alan Kohler: It doesn’t matter whether it’s free or online, to survive it must do more than just report what readers can find out for themselves but don’t have the time.
- He says, according to Kevin, that journalism must “explain what events mean, not just report them”.
- To get going with a successful online news start up, all you really need is a scanner, a camera and a copy of Word Press (though, I’d recommend Drupal). I guarantee you, you will be able to build an audience and build a business. Start telling people everything you can about what’s going on in their community right now, from why the fire truck just screamed down their street to what’s happening at the American Legion’s chicken BBQ, and you will grow an audience and be able to turn it into cash in your pocket. I promise.
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Miguel,I'm pretty sure I know the publication that you are talking about. The change has been noticeable and is not for the better. What I don't understand, is that the magazine would ignore its former writers who provided the original content, gave the magazine its start, and sustained it with continued contributions of articles.
Miguel,I'm pretty sure I know the publication that you are talking about. The change has been noticeable and is not for the better. What I don't understand, is that the magazine would ignore its former writers who provided the original content, gave the magazine its start, and sustained it with continued contributions of articles.