The Business Beat

At the recent College Media Advisers conference in New York, students had the chance to listen to Washington Post – Newsweek Interactive VP, Mark Whitaker. In his 40-minute speech, Whitaker outlined five pieces of bad news, five pieces of good news and ended his talk with what journalism students should do now.

In a room full of mostly print students, Whitaker says it’s time to think video……

A summary of his speech follows.

First the bad news.

1. The distribution model has been trumped by Google.
2. The Web has hurt advertising. Badly.
3. Competing Web sites run vertically and DEEP providing some information WaPo can’t touch.
4. Too much duplication in news.
5. Links and aggregation have been putting a whoop on traditional journalism.

The good news.

1. Media can find a way to beat Google at local search.
2. News is no longer a “voice on high”
3. Journalism can creat communities very effectively.
4. Print has found video and video is powerful.
5. Cost of experimentation is less on the Web.

What it means for students.

1. Must develop multimedia skills.
2. Students will bounce around in numerous jobs.
3. Students need to develop a sense of entrepeneurship.
4. Students must be open to other business models including starting your own biz.
5. Print does have a future.

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The Business Beat

New York

CMA and CICM sessions

“Want a promising career in media? Get digital. Want to hand me five clips and expect a good job? I won’t even talk to you.” ………Paul Conley

I promise to stop whipping this dead horse as soon as more students and advisers start to hear what we are being told by those in the profession.

Friday’s “new” media sessions in New York were incredible. The only disappointment was the number of students and advisers who didn’t darken the Roosevelt Ballroom door. Attendance was sparse with the exception of the keynoters.

This was an all-star lineup.

Joe McDonald, Executive News Editor, The Journal News
Vivial Schiller, Senior VP and GM, NYTimes.com
Mark Whitaker, VP of Washington Post and Newsweek Interactive
Andrew DeVigal, Editor of Multimedia, NY Times
Jason Levine, International Adobe Evangelist
David Cohn, Editor, NewAssignment.net
Paul Conley, Paul Conley Associates (consultant to B2B publishers)

We listened to each of them and interviewed five (didn’t get a one on one with Ms. Schiller) and heard what they had to say about college students and “new” media.

* A new skills set is demanded for the best jobs and for leadership positions.

* The days of five clips getting a student a good job are over at major media outlets.

* The best jobs out there require a strong knowledge of journalism and technology.

* A digital portfolio will become commonplace.

* Students who can shoot photos, video, collect audio, edit and post to the Web will have employers knocking on their door.

* Students must have a better sense of the economics and business of media.

* Media must embrace the computer science/engineering and business disciplines.

* Every student should be a serious blogger.

* The pace of change is quickening.

* New media is not a fad, but a fact.

* Entrepreneurship in media is needed desperately.

* Marketing, advertising and PR are way ahead of journalism in adopting innovation.

We would like to express our gratitude to each of the speakers. Y’all were informing, educating and entertaining.

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