Blog
11.13
Outgoing DMN Web editor, "Traditional news needs to catch up."
Editor & Publisher is a publication that touts itself as "America's oldest journal covering the newspaper industry."
Although their news section has been reading like an obituary for the past, say decade, even the bigwigs there know something our beloved Dallas Morning News doesn't.
According to Anthony Moor, the News' now dearly departed Web editor who left for bigger digital pastures (Big hint: He shouted "Yahoo!" as he left), newspaper online sites are not utilizing the Web news sites quickly and effectively.
"I have wanted to work for a forward-leaning digital company for a long time," said Moor, who has been deputy managing editor/digital for two years at the News. "Part of this is recognition that newspapers have limited resources, they are saddled with legitimate legacy businesses that they have to focus on first. I am a digital guy and the digital world is evolving rapidly. I don't want to have to wait for the traditional news industry to catch up."
It's clear the "limited resources" are the demise of newspapers nationally, but more importantly, it's the limited technology.
When I worked on-air, I had a general manager who summarized the media in one sentence (as he shattered my dwindling ego for not pimping a big sponsor enough), "@#$% Shawn, we are not here to play music and broadcast news. We are here to play commercials."
'Nuff said. It's all about the Benjamins and those dead presidents will not find their way into ad execs' wallets without finding new ways to tell sponsors-to-be, "Yes, your ad will be seen."
Since everyone seems to be seeing them online, newspapers need to seriously get with companies who know how to transform a Web site (eh-hem), and learn how to bring the traffic back to the house. Without embracing new technology, daily circulations numbers are going to be old news.
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