Gen X: Our challenge!

I am sitting in a session with well-known generational consultant Chuck Underwood, who presents about "The Generational Imperative." He is telling newspaper publishers and owners at the Michigan Press Association annual convention what they should (maybe even need) to know about likely their most important demographic if newspapers are to be successful in coming years.
That demographic is commonly called Generation X, made up of those born from 1965 to 1981. I am solidly within that range, born in 1971. I am part of this generation, which also happens to have experienced a significant decline in numbers compared to previous generations like the Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964). It creates what Underwood calls "a population trough."
Hmmmm..... I'm part of a trough. Pretty tough to take that as a compliment, but I get what he is saying.
Underwood went on to say I am part of a generation that is experiences the "most materially comfortable" and "most emotionally difficult" childhoods. It is difficult to generalize like this, but that is what we do with generations - and these are not surprising generalizations.
He went on to say Gen X is a "let down" to many in older generations, but at the same time we feel as though "adults let us down." The result is a set of core values that includes: Fierce independence and self reliance; skepticism and cynicism; disempowerment; disengagement; distance from older generations; marriage is disposable; and an "us-against-them" perspective.
I have had feelings of disappointment in my generation that closelly relates to many of these core values. I have asked: What has my generation done? What will we be remembered for?
I ask those things because so far I feel like we have achieved far too little. We are not involved enough in important social issues and political activism. I am equally part of the problem.
What is the solution?
I say we take on the challenge. We follow the leadership of the strong female generation we are a part of - raised on Title IX and led by incredible women who are a major area of positive accomplishment for our generation. Our women are smart, capable and leading incredible change in our society.
Let's continue to become a generation that will do great things. We aren't done yet.
Can we overcome social shortcomings in regard to gay rights like we have women rights? Can we be the generation that leads a turn-around in political leadership to one that is able to engage in strong debate and then make positive changes? Can we make positive change in other areas, based on what we have learned, seen and accepted as our reality?
I know we can.

Proud adviser!

I just sent four Torch staff members (Mary B., Jax A., Katelyn C. and Jessica S.) over to the mLive hub office in Grand Rapids with mLive Grand Rapids Community News Director Julie Hoogland. I had the privilege of touring the facility with Michigan Collegiate Press Association members, of which I am a proud officer.

The mLive hub is a fantastic glimpse into what newsrooms will look like. It was created when the GR Press moved out of its longtime downtown Grand Rapids facility and shifted from a daily newspaper to three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). The web-first publication is something I have mixed feelings about, but the reality is that this is happening in and to the industry I love.

As a result, I am proud to have sent the four Torch staff members with Julie Hoogland. I find great value in putting students in positions to learn from professional journalists - and every chance I get I try to step away as it happens. I find even more value if they feel the freedom of asking and commenting freely - without feeling like I am looking over their shoulders, judging, grading, or anything else.

I look forward to hearing about the tour. I want to hear what they think about this modern journalism facility and about the way reporters are working. I hope they learn and get excited about the changes - it's a heck of a lot better than being cynical.

Readers

Journalism depends on readers. No surprise.
One of the greatest things that ever happened to me is meeting and marrying an amazing reader. When I met Michelle in college, she would read every spare minute she could. Not just textbooks, but pleasure reading.
Many people can attest to the fact that there were even occasions when my roommates and I had a few guests over, were enjoying some music and beverages, and Michelle still found a way to huddle near a lamp with a good book. She wasn't ignoring the rest of us. She was always happy to stop to engage in conversation; but she wasn't going to waste an entire night like the rest of us.
Michelle's reading influence wore off on me eventually.
As a journalist, I was constantly reading at work. Mostly, I left reading as an activity I did on the job.

As Michelle moved into her real passion as a librarian, she brought home books for me. It started with John Irving novels, then extended to John Steinbeck and many others. For a while I had a John complex that extended to Jon Krakauer, as well.
My pleasure reading expanded. I felt comfortable spending my time with a book.
Reading is the single best thing I have done over the last 20 years to make me a better person, journalist, father, husband, teacher, and friend.
If you want to help secure the future of journalism, foster a reader. Encourage your spouse, children, friends and family to read.
Today marks the opening of Michelle's Little Free Library. It sits in our front yard, with books from our bookshelves.
The books are no longer inside our house, where we can only share them with visitors. Soon, when the ground isn't so frozen, I will put in a post near the sidewalk and mount the library right out front.
For now, it's on a table on our porch. Still, we hope passersby, whether friends, neighbors or strangers, feel welcome to peruse the tiny shelves for reading material.
We have been asked: "What if someone steals your books?"
Our answer: "Maybe they will read them. Then we will put more out there."

News "guru" coming to MPA Convention

Self-proclaimed "news guru" Kevin Slimp is speaking at the 2013 Michigan Press Association Annual Convention, Jan. 25-26, 2013, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Slimp headlines a program called "Tradition + Technology" during the event.
Slimp was in the news recently for a column he wrote and offered for free publication about the decline of newspapers. It was largely a rebuttal to comments made by Morley Safer on 60 Minutes during the Jan. 10, 2013 edition of the show.
Slimp weaves a story to make his point, rather than directly taking on the claim by Safer that print newspapers are "virtually an entire industry in free-fall." Rather than punch back directly, Slimp tells of his experience recently talking to those in the industry.
He also makes one very important point: Newspapers that invest in their product are much more successful than those that have actively cut into the core of their products by reducing reporters, photographers and editors.
It makes sense doesn't it?
In most industries, regressive actions result in a reduced product and eventually a product that does not mean previous standards. The level of investments many newspaper companies have poured into technology and online products has only meant that much more money siphoned away from successful print products.
The result has been a misguided shift in resources, without any solid evidence that it would produce winning results, that has resulted in weakened newspaper products around the country. I lose in this formula and so do all newspaper readers.

Getting back in the groove

If you want to see what's going on in our world, check out some recent stories to read up on current issues in journalism:

The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) is struggling and expects, like others under the same ownership like the Mlive Group newspapers and the Times Picayune in Louisiana, will soon be reduced to only a few print days a week. It is a business move toward web-first publishing. You can check out the online edition of the Oregonian here, which looks a lot like the Mlive site.

It's not shocking that a sitting President is not a fan of the way media is covering him. However, this article in the NY Times gives President Obama  credit for being a discerning and regular reader of newspapers. He is critical, but also finds great value in the long story format that good journalism provides.

And this is just a good blog covering newspaper/journalism issues: Reflections of a Newsosaur.

Making it big...

One of the best things that happens to anyone who teaches/mentors/trains young people for careers is following their future. I heard today about a former student who just landed a job in Louisville, Kentucky, designing pages for the Gannett Corporation newspapers.
I also saw a current student, and Torch staff member, get a cartoon on Mlive today. I hope it also makes the print edition. John Vestevich has won a couple national awards for his cartoon work in the Torch, but seeing him get this sort of recognition is the best!

Interesting statements...

Often, I read things and am captured by a paragraph, sentence or phrase. The theme of an article is clearly important, but I tend to look for those gems.

In his Ask the Recruiter column today on the Poynter web site, Joe Grimm writes about a new website called Ongo that he describes as a "personal news experience."

I am interested in places online where I can go to find more of the news that is important to me. It is the ongoing search we all undergo for: What I want, when I want it. Ongo sounds like an interesting venture of many solid news producers.

However, it was a paragraph late in Grimm's column about Ongo that caught my attention: "Kazim said that the Internet has disaggregated news to the point where it is overwhelming for readers who want to manage multiple news sources. Ongo is trying to be a one-stop shop for managing the news."

The internet, and many pseudo-news sites, have been negatively described as "aggregators" of news rather than producers. The problem there for journalism is that the producers of the news are losing out on revenue for their work when a "aggregator" takes it and publishes it and attracts an audience.

It is an interesting way to look at things that not only are sites aggregating news, but they are disaggregating it by making it spread over so many locations and thus making it difficult to navigate to good information.

In this case, Ongo is charging $6.99 a month and is working closely with those producers - sharing revenue from subscribers. And if it does this week, giving me what I want and what I should read, it sounds like an interesting concept.

Anything that is looking to serve readers and solve some of the financial puzzle to keep good journalism relevant and profitable is a worthy venture to me.

In fact, I don't think I would count Ongo in a simple fail/succeed scenario. Just for attempting it is a success in my eyes. If it works, great. If it is not financially successfully, my hope is it will create a foundation for another venture to improve upon the concept to one day be successful.

We must be willing to pay for our news.

TV Debut

This spring marked my debut as a television journalist. To this point in my 20-plus year journalism career, I have been the epitome of the cliche: A face for radio and a voice for print journalism. Luckily for me, print journalism was my strength. However, with all the changes in the field during my 41 years it was inevitable that I would need to engage in other mediums.

When students in my JRNL 251: Understanding Mass Media course asked me to host a show they were producing for the Television and Digital Media Production program, I was eager to help them while taking the opportunity to learn more about TV journalism. I was not available to host the entire three-show series, but I picked up the first and third episodes as host of "Political Action."

In the first show, filmed Feb. 19, 2012, I asked questions of Ferris Professor Dr. Richard Griffin and Ferris State Torch reporter Zach Smith. During the show, we focused on the Michigan Republican primary that pitted Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in a neck-and-neck race, with New Gingrich and Ron Paul still heavily involved at that point.

In the second show, filmed April 26, 2012, I spoke with Ferris Professor Dr. Donald Roy and Ferris students Elijah Melton and Andrew Finnerty. Melton was representing the Ferris College Democrats and Finnerty appeared as a Ron Paul supporter as we discussed the November 2012 Presidential election.

What did I learn?
1. Don't wear stripes because they appear blurry on TV.
2. Plan on the camera picking up every movement you make - including your twitchy foot (during the Feb. 19 show).
3. Discussion is great, but at TV show does not cover the depth of a topic like a good newspaper article.
4. There is a chilling effect created by TV. The guests and I had good conversation before the show as we prepared, but once the cameras were rolling some of it was tempered. That is understandable, but it does mean we lose some of the really strong dialogue about issues with this medium.
5. I believe I improved as a host. I got all three guests involved, did not get too concerned with the time remaining and kept the discussion going right to the final second. In the first episode, I got too concerned with the timing and we ended early.
6. Good, informed and honest discussion is much more important in any medium than how you look or sound. Me and my hosts were not TV pros. But the best moments came through because of our interest in the topic and willingness to give opinions.

Ferris Journalism Day

Ferris FREE Journalism Day

“The J-Factor: Politics & The Press”

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012

Ferris State University, Big Rapids

The Ferris State University department of Journalism and Technical Professional Communications is offering the best bang for the buck for journalism training. The second annual FREE one-day journalism workshop to high school students and teachers will connect many aspects of journalism and the upcoming national election. Get yourself here and we will take care of the rest!

All for FREE: The day will include lunch, multiple workshop sessions, a tour of TV and newspaper facilities on campus, free stuff and more! All this is free to the first 150 students and teachers who sign up.

Workshop sessions will include: Photography; Video Broadcasting; Sports Feature Writing; Social Media; and tips from pros at the Big Rapids Pioneer on getting a paper started.

Panel Discussion: Ask questions about the role journalism plays in society with the presidential election just two weeks away, featuring political reporters and political science experts.

Remember: A chaperone is required from each school attending.

Event Co-sponsors: Ferris State, Big Rapids Pioneer and The Torch.

Watch: Student video of the first Ferris J-Factor event

CONTACT: E-mail Ferris journalism professor Steven Fox (stevenfox@ferris.edu) to reserve your spot now. This is a free event, but registration is required. More information will be distributed in the fall.

Heading to the museum

The Grand Rapids Press, now known as mLive as its online edition, ran a story (online) today that the paper is donating its archives to the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

This is a wonderful thing - really. It means all the print archives of the paper, dating to 1891, will be stored in a way to preserve the amazing history that a daily newspaper records for its community. The collection reportedly includes 4,000 bound volumes, more than 30 file cabinets of clippings, more than 30 file cabinets of photo archives, as well as other things like directories, microfilm and even a large mural that used to hang in the GR Press building lobby. Of course, that lobby is part of the building that has been sold to Michigan State University for its medical school.

I remember riding the escalator up to the second floor editorial offices when I landed a gig as a correspondent for the GR Press. That was back in early 2005. Over the next few years I wrote enough stories to keep me hopping - and gainfully employed as a part-time reporter getting paid by the story while also being a stay-at-home Dad to my two kids. I enjoyed the giant murals portraying the history of the GR Press, wondering about the city's history as a newcomer.

I can't help but ponder again: What does this mean to the print newspaper industry that a city the size of Grand Rapids no longer has a daily newspaper? But not only that, the newspaper has now donated its archives to the local museum. There clearly is a great deal we can read into this situation, considering the metaphorical connections between the archiving of this once great print institution to the current status of the print newspaper business.

Even more than I prize newspapers, I prize the role of journalism in our society. I hope the newspapers live on in the museum as a way to record our city's history, but also as a way to show future generations the importance of journalism to our community - in print, broadcast and online.

ECU adviser firing reduces learning

The adviser to the East Carolina student newspaper, The East Carolinian, is getting a lot of attention. You can read about it here at the Student Press Law Center or watch a news video about it. I have no connection to the adviser, Paul Isom.

However, I am bothered that Mr. Isom was fired for this. In all my training as a student newspaper advise, as well as time advising for both the Grand Rapids Community College Collegiate and the Ferris State University Torch, this goes against all I have learned: The First Amendment and legal precedence supports the fact that student newspaper staff make their own content decisions.

In November 2011, the East Carolinian opted to run a full frontal nudity photo of a male streaking at a football game. While this may be offensive to some, and many college newspaper advisers would prefer their students would choose not to run a photo like this, it is not the advisers decision in the end.

Firing the adviser is an unfortunate, knee-jerk reaction by administrators who do not understand the role of journalism in society, let alone the role of student journalism on a university campus. The students involved here will learn little from the situation in terms of journalism.

I would call this a disappointing end to the situation. However, instead I hope it is not the end. I have sent letters to the two supervisors identified by Mr. Isom, including Director of Marketing and Communications Chris Stansbury.

I hope more people voice their opinions - and while doing so can see beyond their immediate like or dislike of the photo that ran in the paper. This is a much bigger long-term issue that includes a move toward prior review and a chilling effect regarding the content of student newspapers.

I am lucky enough to have been supported by my direct supervisors in a couple of cases that did attract some negative response at The Torch: Once for an advertisement that used a questionable depiction of a woman, once for a photo of the T-shirt students were selling that said Fuck Shit Up (FSU), and most recently for an editorial cartoon that depicted a sorority member in poor light.

All three times there was reason for some people to be offended by the material. All three times I supported the student newspaper staff decisions. All three times we had serious conversations about the decisions they made. And all three times those who did not agree with the newspaper had an opportunity to voice their opinions - in print, online and in person.

All three times, learning happened.

Paywall Discussion

Here is a newspaper I used to work for, the News-Register in McMinnville, OR, going through the move to a paywall for online content. I was often concerned with the anxiousness to move content online at no cost when I worked there. Now, they are having to make this move.

The comments to the announcement are worth reading, with a good number of supportive readers.

They key here to me is this: The N-R serves a population of the Willamette Valley, primarily Yamhill County, that gets little news coverage elsewhere. If you want news in that area, you need the N-R. So, in the end, you have to pay for it.

Ferris J-Day Event

Some of my students produced a video about our High School Journalism Day event held Nov. 2, 2011. It was the first time for the event, partnering with the Big Rapids Pioneer, University Advancement & Marketing, Admissions, The Torch and the Journalism & Technical Professional Communication program. The event went well, with about 100 students and teachers attending from 11 schools.

The video is also posted on one of the student's blog: kronmultimedia.

Spread the word about this free event and plan to attend in fall of 2012 if you're a high school teacher or student in West Michigan!

My online newspaper

There are a few things I've been thinking about as I prepare to make a monumental shift from being a primarily print newspaper reader to an online news reader (I dropped the word newspaper because it just doesn't make sense in this application). I am also a Facebook user and frequent Amazon, among other sites. As I make this change, with the Kindle Fire my chosen new tool, I wonder:

- Will my online news providers allow me to personalize what I see?
- Will my online news providers learn what I like to read and move that to my "front page?"
- Will my online news providers be as responsive as Amazon and Facebook?
- Will my online news providers care what I think?

I'm worried that the same format I have struggled with while dabbling into online news with sites like MLive will continue to frustrate me. For example, when I clicked on Mlive today I found top articles about the Detroit Lions and letters to Santa. I don't want to read either of those stories. And I have no choice about what is right there screaming at me to read them.

I don't care about Detroit sports - or really any sports in Michigan. And I rarely care about any sports in the world ahead of real news. The only letters to Santa I care about come from my own children and I want to read them in private.

Will I be able to remove the "dumbed down" online content for news I really want? When the Grand Rapids Press changes to three-day-a-week delivery in February 2012, I expect more online for my subscription. If not, I'm going to be very tempted to move my loyalty elsewhere. It would be a monumental shift for me - I have been a loyal "local newspaper" reader since I was a teen-ager. Those papers have included the Vista Press, North County Times, Huron Daily Tribune, News-Register and Grand Rapids Press. I have loved them all.

Will I love what online news providers provide me? It really depends on whether or not they can prove to be as smart and relevant as those print papers have been all those years....

Are you under 25 and NOT interested in news?

When I ask my students if they are interested in news, many reply that they are not - even some that are pursuing careers like public relations and communications and (I'm sad to admit) even a few who see journalism in their futures.

As I continue the discussion throughout the semester, we often come to the conclusion that they are highly interested in news. When a tragedy occurred on campus this semester, many went straight to the Torch web site to find out what happened.

They are interested in news. They do want to know what's happening in the world. They really do care.

What has changed? Basically, there is not a single place for them to go for their news information. There are so many options in this internet-age that what I find is my students do not have a way to go about seeking their news.

They respond when they need to - and they know how to do that well. What many of them don't know how to do is keep up with important news on a daily basis.

I am highly skeptical when my students tell me they are not interested in news. Most often, I am successful at proving them wrong.

E-reader time?

My local newspaper - I cringe to even call it that at this point but lack for a better word - is dropping to three days a week on Feb. 2, 2012. This is a large media market and the Grand Rapids Press has a rich tradition. However, for financial reasons, it is eliminating home delivery and moving toward its electronic editions through the oft-maligned website that serves the Press known as Mlive.

As a subscriber to the print paper, sometimes user of Mlive, and former freelance writer for both, I'm surely going to be at a loss when the change is made. I feel emotionally connected to newspapers in the physical form. I appreciate my newspaper at home - in my hands.

Instead of rebel against progress, I'm ready to pursue my options for an electronic reader. At this point, the leading candidate for me is the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Press will continue to produce a "print simulated" electronic edition that I can receive daily - I just need a place to read it. At $199 it's far cheaper than the iPad. It also gives me an electronic book reader, without the high price of a tablet with all gadgets.

Of course, it is yet to be seen if I will value news - and newspapers - as much once I lose my physical connection to the paper.

HS Journalism Event at Ferris, Nov. 2, 2011

Ferris FREE Journalism Day
“The J-Factor: Lessons in Storytelling”
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011
Ferris State University, Big Rapids

Registration is filling up fast for the FREE one-day journalism workshop for high school students (and teachers) offered by the Ferris State University Journalism and Technical Professional Communications program. Registration is free, but limited to a first-come, first-served basis.

All for FREE: The day will include lunch, workshop sessions, tour of TV and newspaper facilities on campus, contest, bag of free stuff and more! All this is free to the first 125 students who sign up (space is filling up fast)!

Workshop sessions include: Interviewing Techniques; Photography; Video Broadcasting; Tips from Pros at the Big Rapids Pioneer; Sports Reporting; Careers in Writing; and more.

Remember: A chaperone is required from each school attending.

CONTACT: E-mail journalism professor Steven Fox (stevenfox@ferris.edu) to reserve your spot now (or call 231-591-2529). This is a free event, but registration is required.

Context matters

In doing journalism, sometimes it is easy to assume that readers will get the message on their own. Other times, they need more explanation.

I didn't know about the latest Torch cartoon until it was already published, as is common in my role as the faculty adviser to the student paper. I can't claim to have known or thought about this beforehand. Sometimes, things just happen in this industry.

The cartoon, depicting a sorority member over a toilet, has stirred more than 600 comments on the Torch web site in a couple days and much more discussion on campus. It has definitely been the buzz. The web site has struggled to keep up, getting nearly 20,000 hits in a day. At times I have receive error messages trying to see the latest discussion. The previous best MONTH in terms of site visits was 11,000.

What many who are seeing the cartoon without any context don't realize, is that it was not done randomly. From talking with national award-winning Torch cartoonist John Vestevich, I learned he was responding to T-shirts being worn by many members of Ferris State sororities as they head toward recruiting week.

The T-shirts, as shown in the comic, say: "Fall Sorority Recruitment. We didn't invent CLASS, we perfected it."

The shirts seem harmless enough, but clearly they also provided an easy target for a witty cartoonist like Vestevich. He has also seen the irony in other things on campus, like the universities slogan to "Imagine More..." and poking fun at students in general.

Is it out of line to do satirical commentary on a university campus? Apparently, many who are involved in the Greek community feel it is if you read their comments. I believe it is only a problem when it gets personal. Editorial cartoons are meant to touch a nerve and get personal.

However, understanding the full context of why Vestevich chose the topic I don't agree with those who believe the cartoon is out of line. In fact, the Torch has repeatedly published articles about the positive work Greek organizations do at Ferris, including this very one in the same Sept. 14 edition.

I encourage everyone to take a look at the bigger picture and take it all in perspective.

I feel your pain

I have done a few YouTube videos over the years, mostly using our family Flip video camera. It is easy to use and works relatively well.

However, I figure if I'm going to be critiquing student multimedia work I had better step it up a bit. I am getting my first experience using iMovie. Here is a short video of my son, Hayden, wrestling.

It isn't much, but this newer video includes raw sound, edited video to keep it short, some audio voice over, a flip transition, some text at the start and end, and I published it to YouTube. I'm not claiming to win any awards here, but you can learn a lot by just messing around. And I can tell you that from experience.

I also posted a much longer video to YouTube of my son wrestling last fall. It's much longer and includes no editing work.

Please, compare the two and let me know what you think.

Time, patience and incredible creativity

Doing the best multimedia storytelling takes a lot of work. Not just hours, days, weeks or even months.

I heard today as Jim Sheeler, a former reporter for the now defunct Rocky Mountain News, described the work he did reporting about the death of soldiers in Iraq. The thing is, Sheeler didn't just do reporting. He did true storytelling. He invested a huge amount of time and energy and then had nearly a year to produce his writing - that also was accompanied by incredible photographs, audio and video.

Check it all out to get a glimpse of the power of creative energy displayed in words, visuals and sounds, in the package called Final Salute. It's truly emotional journalism. It makes you slow down, pay attention, and soak it all in.