First Draft by Tim Porter

Resolved

I asked you yesterday to dedicate the year ahead to answering this question: How will my newspaper be different on Dec. 31, 2006 than it is on Jan. 1, 2006?

John Robinson was way ahead of me. He already had a plan for continuing innovation at the News-Recond and he lays it out today for readers. Here are two of his goals (emphasis added:

 "... to give you even more news and information that you cannot get elsewhere. We won't neglect national and international news, but the days in which wire services dominate the front page are waning at mid-size newspapers across the country."

 "We will write more stories that impact your lives. The best journalism touches a nerve, either because it reveals an injustice, speaks to your heart or causes you to act."

Two good goals for every local paper: Be unique and make a mark. These values form the core of journalistic value. They give the public a reason to care, not only about the newspaper but also about the community.

These values are critical to the broad-based survival of journalism, of keeping its principles intact as new forms of delivery develop. Robinson address this as well. He writes (emphasis added):

"I don't know what the term "newspaper" will mean 10 years from now, but I'm positive it will be different from what you hold in your hands and read on the computer.

"Through it all, our pledge to you remains unchanged: to be an independent voice in pursuit of the truth; to give you information you need to make smart choices in your life; and to be a trusted place to hear, share and talk about the news."

Resolved.

Tags: Journalism, Newspapers, Media

Posted by Tim Porter at January 1, 2006 07:43 AM