Reflecting on the YouTube video on my previous post, one of the biggest challenges for newspapers is in continuing to publish the revenue-producing print products while creating online versions that are attractive to readers and advertisers. Newsrooms essentially have to pull double duty with fewer people because of all the layoffs and cutbacks in recent years. Not the best environment to spawn innovation. Yet, it has to be done in order for big and small media companies to survive and thrive in the future. And it has to be done fast because the old model is failing.
How does any company build a new product when the old product still exists? Imagine suddenly making a car-repair place fix cars and planes, with no new staffing and minimal training. The difference between online and print news products are often that stark. Gathering content for each has enough variations to require training and additional skill sets, not to mention time. Most newspaper folks will tell you they were stretched 20 years ago, before having to concern themselves with the web. So no wonder the stress level in newsrooms these days is off the charts.
Working smart is more important than working hard. I've always believed that. Those newspaper publishers and editors who subscribe to that belief will probably survive. Those who think everyone can work 70 hours a week and everything will be fine, well, they probably won't last much longer.
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