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FMAMGM
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 25 |
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Posted: Thu Oct 18th, 2007 08:32 pm |
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So, working in the small markets/towns are two entities: local newspapers - most of which came along before radio, and local radio - which probably has a greater percentage of across the board demographics paying attention to it (AM or FM)/them (both bands).
My thoughts are: do you always "simply" compete with the local newspaper(s) in your broadcast area, or do you work in association with the owners/editors of your local newspaper - and vice versa - does the newspaper just view your station(s) as competition, or do they appreciate and work with you (and any other stations)????
I'd like to see a few viewpoints on this subject. IT'S the 21st Century, and I have to wonder if consolidation, which has made both genres "more consolidated", made it easier or worse on radio and/or newspapers.
Do you have "shared content" with the newspaper...Do you swap news stories?
PLEASE COMMENT.
Here's a smalltown newspaper industry "news item".
--- Good luck to Helen and Gary Sosniecki in the near future. They've just announced the sale of the Vandalia Leader newspaper to Lakeview Publishers. I've kept an eye on the Vandalia area through their online edition (they took over in 2003), and hope the good people of Lakeview Publishers will allow the new editor to continue the online edition in the same way Gary has been producing it.
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Jamie Turner
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 5th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 111 |
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Posted: Fri Oct 19th, 2007 12:09 am |
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KFLW in Saint Robert, MO is owned by Ozark Media, who's parent company is the Lebanon Publishing Company. I worked at KFLW for 3.5 years and loved every minute of it.
Our building was built for Print, Internet, and Radio. Our sister-newspaper was on the first floor. The writers from the Pulaski County Democrat gathered news edited soundbytes and e-mailed the storiesto us. If it was an emergency they ran up the stairs to the studio. The jocks then trimmed the stories from 3 pages down to 3 lines. Following the newscast, we had a promo reminding listeners that they could find the whole story in this week's Democrat. I think now they send listeners to the website.
Democrat and Fort Leonard Wood Patriot are weekly publications. Putting their info on the air was a quicker way to release their info and they took pride in that. Towards the end of my stay, the news staff were beginning to write stories specifically for radio. It was great how we were able to train these guys to edit their soundbytes using a portable mini-disc and Cool Edit at their desks.
KLOZ is owned by Benne Media in Eldon. Denny Benne also owns various publications, but with the exception of a few promotions the entities are totally seperate.
On a seperate note. I was suprised to see the names Gary & Helen Sosnieki grace this board. I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for a story Gary wrote about me in the Lebanon Daily Record. I was intested in getting into newspaper after becoming discouraged with radio. Gary told me that with my passion in radio, he couldn't allow me to end it. He told me about his boss at Lebanon Publishing Company who was buying one of the bankrupt stations at Fort Leonard Wood and that it's now or never. The rest is history. His boss Dalton Wright became my boss and was the best boss I've ever had next to Denny Benne. I owe a lot to Gary. AMFMGM, please tell him Jamie Turner says hello!!!
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morrisjames
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 5th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 201 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 21st, 2007 07:35 pm |
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Jamie, I believe they will stay two separate entities in smaller communities because they each thirst for money.
In most small town newspapers, they exist solely for the revenue and not from an journalistic endeavor. The same way with radio stations.
I cringed when I heard the leaders of both say we are in "the advertising business." It should be: we are hear to serve two customers: 1. advertisers. 2. listeners/readers. One shouldn't be over two and two should be over one. I believe they should be equal.
I'm worried because true journalism is drying up. Everybody, including the owners and corporations of the various small media we should be trustying, are trying to control the message with their biases. Political blogs are trying to control the message. P-R people, both in the government and private sectors, are trying to control the message. What you end up with is a lot of distortion and wrong facts.
On the other side of things, reporters need more time to question things and then have the time to pursue hunches and tips. As its become, they are in thin-ranks and devoting most of their working time to numerous newscasts or publications.
I'll give you one example of a break down with the media itself. A man ran for Mayor of Clever, won and served for over a year before being charged with sexual assault. Not a single reporter (broadcast or print) took the time to do background stories on people running for that office. This guy was already a convicted sex offender.
Yes, we need to be pursuing breakings news. But we also need people who can pursue and question the decisions of our elected officials with proven journalistic methods (not half-cocked talk show hosts).
How many news organizations still do a beat---meaning, they go to the courthouse, city hall, regular committee meetings, etc. My guess is only a small percentage.
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Jamie Turner
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 5th, 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Oct 22nd, 2007 05:11 am |
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Believe me Morris, the two should seperate themselves as much as possible. I've seen many cons associated with newspaper/radio relationships. Sticker shock when it comes to selling the two together -- bad idea. Sales teams display more loyalty for the business for which they have always sold -- understandable.
As for the pros: FREE ADVERTISING!!! In the beginning, the station was flat broke, which meant no advertising budget. For a whole month we ran newspaper ads in all of the company's newspapers, magazines, and websites (in the listening area) announcing the upcoming change. A weekly ad campaign continues. Any contests, station promotions, remotes, tailgate parties, news events, or special programming announcements are advertised in each of the company's papers...and it works. Now the station has an advertising budget with competing newspapers and cable tv stations.
I understand why the two entities compete. Especially in a smaller town where newspaper and radio are the two main advertising platforms. It's the same reason why some newspapers have a hatrid toward phone books. You think I'm kidding.
I agree. It's not an advertising business. Information, then entertainment, and of course quality service to the customer = advertiser/listener. Journalism IS becoming a lost art. In High School, my job at our newspaper was to travel from classroom to classroom asking each teacher what was happening in their sponsored clubs. I also visited the Principal interviewing him about upcoming events. That's how he and I became close.
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