The Online News Association Convention
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09np0043.qxp 9/15/09 11:03 AM Page 1 BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA Congratulates this year’s News & Documentary Emmy® nominees and recognizes those being honored WEEKNIGHTS 7 & 10PM/ET 09np0043.pdf RunDate: 09/ 21 /09 Full Page Color: 4/C 09np0040.qxp 9/11/09 1:44 PM Page 1 CONGRATULATES OUR NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY® NOMINEES ORLA GUERIN – “CHAOS IN DR CONGO” Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast Best Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast RUPERT WINGFIELD-HAYES – “CHINESE OPENNESS” Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast WEEKNIGHTS 7 & 10PM/ET 09np0040.pdf RunDate: 09/ 21 /09 Full Page Color: 4/C NP_cover7.0.qxp:ContentWare 9/15/09 2:42 PM Page 1 September 2009 News on a Budget Results of cutbacks begin to show up on-air Page 4 Online Journalism Hyperlocal the new coverage trend on the Web Page 56 News & Doc Emmys COVERING TOWN HALLS TV crews wrestle to bring A custom guide back the real story to the program Page 10 follows Page 12 09np0005.qxp 7/17/09 12:48 PM Page 1 “ ” -- Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac This year’s tours: 1. Ultralight Delivery: Crane Conservation on Our Fractured Landscape Wake up with the birds to see one of North America’s SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS most endangered species. TH 2. Future Energy Choices 19 ANNUAL Join us as we head to Southeastern Wisconsin to talk carbon capture, big coal, solar, Great Lakes wind, and lithium ion batteries. CONFERENCE 3. Cruising Lake Michigan Hop aboard an EPA research vessel as we talk invasive species, bad ballast water, contaminated Hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Madison sediment and Great Lakes fi sh populations. 4. Roiling the Waters Some deep thinking in a Deep Tunnel about sewage October 7-11, 2009 overfl ows, and then we surface to look at Great Lakes Water Diversion. 5. Wetlands, Wildlife, and Wind A visit to one of the largest wetlands to talk about Among confi rmed speakers this year are water quality, birds and nearby wind turbines. Al Gore... Maude Barlow and Andy Revkin. 6. Feeding Cities: Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Justice For more see our website at www.sej.org. A visit with a noted urban farmer in Milwaukee to talk of local food, better health and reducing our carbon footprint. 7. Canoe the Wisconsin River October 7-11, 2009 Paddle along as we hear about the 20th anniversary of a unique effort that protects the Lower Wisconsin River. REGISTER NOW! 8. A Different Kind of CAFO A large rural farm that tries to be green. www.sej.org 9. CSI Madison: Wildlife Forensics Who ya gonna call? 09np0005.pdf RunDate: 08/ 03 /09 Full Page Color: 4/C NPp3_12.qxp 9/15/09 10:30 AM Page 1 FROM THE EDITOR What’s Ailing the CONTENTS News Business SEPTEMBER 2009 Welcome to the second issue of NewsPro. I’m happy to report that the response to our debut FEEDS edition was overwhelmingly positive. News coverage suffers as stations cut I wish I could say the same for the state of the corners ..... Page 4 news business. Stations use news to stretch their The challenged economy and the effects it has budgets ...... Page 5 had on the field of journalism continues to be a Moving Diane Sawyer to evenings poses story of major consequence to news professionals. a morning problem for ABC ...... Page 6 As detailed in our Feeds section, even as the Robert Novak paved the way for today’s shortfalls of tightened budgets are being reflected on the air, many cable pundits ..... Page 7 stations are adding newscasts as a way to maximize their existing Wolf Blitzer sees a future for middle-of- expenditures. the-road cable news ...... Page 8 As if things weren’t bad enough for a profession already threatened Two U.S. presidents say a public by instant technologies and the defection of young news consumers. goodbye to Walter Cronkite ...... Page 9 At CBS News’ Sept. 9 memorial service for Walter Cronkite, President Obama underscored all of those concerns when he spoke COVER STORY of the state of journalism today versus the way things were when Town Hall debates on health care reform more calm than chaotic..... Page 10 Cronkite was a key player three decades ago. “We know that this is a difficult time for journalism. Even as SPECIAL REPORT appetites for news and information grow, newsrooms are closing. The Online News Association to Despite the big stories of our era, serious journalists find themselves convene in San Francisco ..... Page 12 all too often without a beat. Just as the news cycle has shrunk, so Hyperlocal the new wave in online has the bottom line.” news ..... Page 12 He then summed up the crux of the dilemma we are all feeling TOM SHALES when he said: “We seem stuck with a choice between what cuts to our bottom The late Don Hewitt was both a dynamo and a hero ..... Page 54 line and what harms us as a society. Which price is higher to pay? Which cost is harder to bear?” SIGNOFF Tom Petner mulls the best uses for local Tom Gilbert digital channels ..... Page 30 Editor DEPARTMENTS Newsmakers ..... Page 55 Business ..... Page 60 ADVERTISING SALES Technology ..... Page 61 Ph: (212) 210-0748 Fax: (212) 210-0772 Executive Producer: Jeff Reisman, [email protected] COVER IMAGE ALEX WONG GETTY IMAGES (212) 210-0748 EDITORIAL OFFICES Producer: Danny Schreiber, [email protected] Ph: (212) 210-0706 Fax: (212) 210-0772 (503) 723-9688 NewsPro, (USPS# 000-134), Volume 1, Issue 2, is published Quarterly, August, September, October, November at Crain SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE (888) 288-5900 Production Manager: Nicole Dionne Communications Inc, 711 Third Ave, New York, NY 10017. VP-Publisher: Robert Felsenthal, (212) 210-0262 Group Circulation Director: John LaMarca Periodical postage pending at New York, NY, and at additional Circulation Manager: Nicole Chantharaj mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Editor: Tom Gilbert, [email protected] (212) 210-0706 NewsPro, Circulation Dept, 1155 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, MI 48207- THE AD AGE GROUP 2912. Subscription and Customer Service (888) 288-6954. Art Director: Jeanine Dunn VP-Publishing and Editorial Director Subscription price for US and US Territories is $59, Canada and Copy Editor: Angel Musker David S. Klein Mexico is $69, all other international is $89 per year. CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. Executive VP-Operations: William A. Morrow Chief Information Officer: Paul Dalpiaz Senior VP-Group Publisher: Gloria Scoby Corporate Circulation Director: Chairman: Keith E. Crain Group VP-Technology, Circulation, Patrick Sheposh President: Rance Crain Manufacturing: Robert C. Adams Founder: G.D. Crain Jr. (1885-1973), Keep up to date with what’s going Secretary: Merrilee Crain VP-Production & Manufacturing: Chairman Emeritus: Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. on in the news industry by visiting us Treasurer: Mary Kay Crain David Kamis (1911-1996) online at TVWeek.com/Newspro NewsPro® is a registered trademark of Crain Communications Inc. September 2009 | NewsPro | 3 NP RunDate: 09/ 21 /09 Page: 03 Color: 4/C NPp3_12.qxp 9/15/09 10:30 AM Page 2 FeedsINFORMATION AND ANALYSIS FROM THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL NEWS ECONOMIC FALLOUT years because stations could find advertisers willing to pay for the viewers News Coverage Feeling they would get during newscasts, but Potter predicts that recently added or the Pinch of Tighter Budgets, marginal news times — like weekend mornings — will be cut due to economic pressures. The 5 p.m. newscasts in Loss of Experienced Voices several major markets have already been BY HILLARY ATKIN compounded by the stresses everyone is replaced with talk or entertainment under to constantly feed the beast, that programming. Television news directors in Los moment of quality control is often lost.” Layoffs have largely come from the Angeles came under attack last month for This year began as a tough one ranks of higher-paid and more experienced their initial lack of coverage of the arson- economically for television stations. The employees, which media analysts say caused Station fire, which killed two temporary lift that campaign commercials means a less experienced staff with a firefighters, destroyed about 80 homes provided the previous fall was history, and shorter-term investment in the community. and became the largest wildfire in Los the auto industry ads, from which so “The era of the mid-six-figure anchors Angeles County history. much revenue is derived, took a nosedive, and above has come to an end. Their The fire was already spreading out of intertwined with the worst general contracts are not being renewed if they control on Saturday, Aug. 29, the day of economic downturn in decades. don’t take pay cuts,” Potter said. “We’ve Sen. Edward Kennedy’s funeral, an event seen a trend of departures of people who that received widespread coverage. Ratings Pressure in previous years were considered Viewers in the fire-affected areas as well With about 50 percent of a local absolutely safe. I can’t tell you how many as local politicians and television critics television station’s budget coming from its times I’ve typed ‘veteran anchor not complained that L.A. stations had news department, and an acceptable renewed.’ It seems to be the most dropped the ball that weekend by not annual profit for the station in the range prevalent headline of the year in TV providing extensive fire coverage. newsrooms.” Los Angeles Times critic Mary “Institutional knowledge is walking out McNamara went so far as to call it “a “What’s going on is the door, and errors in judgment and virtual, and inexplicable, news blackout.” at a molecular level.