Harvard hoedown ponder$ making $ in new$
Some 50 of the foremost thinkers about journalism have been invited to Harvard University today to ponder no less a problem than this: “How to Make Money in News: New Business Models for the 21st Century.”
The event commences at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to adjourn at 2:30 p.m., so I guess the organizers are pretty high on the capabilities of the crowd. Or afraid prolonged frustration would provoke a food fight.
The leader is Alex S. Jones, the director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Pubic Policy, and you can buy his terrific new book here or, preferably, at some struggling, locally owned bookstore.
Somehow, I am among the invited participants and, while I am grateful to be schmoozing at the Shaker-meets-Danish modern Charles Hotel outside Harvard Yard, this feels like an inverse Groucho moment. Here’s what I mean:
As you will recall, Groucho Marx, a foremost thinker himself, said he wouldn’t want to be a member of any group that would have him. In this case, I would imagine the other 50 people feel that way about any gathering that would include me.
I don’t know what to expect. But the agenda and guest list are embedded below if you are inclined to whip up a few prognostications on your own.
As circumstances warrant, I may tweet a few thoughts here from time to time. While visiting Twitter, you also can sign up to follow my future (m)utterances.
But I am pretty sure Groucho would question your judgment if you did.
Harvard - How to Make Money in News
posted by Newsosaur at 2:28 AM
5 Comments:
I can't imagine a world without high-caliber, validated investigative journalism. But sales and cash flow are not dirty words and asking advertisers why they started to leave newspapers in droves in '06 is a reasonable question. But will it be asked?
Tough love for Newspapers: Will They Embrace Change? http://cli.gs/T1e55
More interesting to me is that not one advertiser, those who will be footing the bill for news sites, is represented. Every business including news sites, has to sell; they have to offer what their customers' want.
Here's how to make a small fortune in news:
Start with a big one.
Well, we'll see if anyone can punch their way out of a paper bag.
"Old School" participants will get you "old school" solutions.
The people that should be on these panels should be a mix of academics, old press and successful new press, (like huffington, AHN news, and spot.us)
Even talking to failed ventures like iwantmyrocky.com would provide greater insight and ideas then this elitist group.
The truely innovative and money making ideas aren't going to come from academia.
"I can't imagine a world without high-caliber, validated investigative journalism."
You don't have to imagine it. You've been living in it for several decades.
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