10.27.09

1) kind of really definitely looking forward to Halloween and its debauchery

2) on the agenda tonight:
-ghosthunting with ben, gerald and a photographer in east austin. bringing my ouija board.
-drop the lime at the parish. saw him a few months ago, it was nasty insane.
-going to piedras negras again with andrew to eat quite possibly the best mexican i’ve had in austin.
-meeting up with an old friend to possibly see a movie at the drafthouse.
-catching up on homework and planning next semester’s classes for tomorrow’s registration

3) AUSTIN EATS SANDWICHES. that is all.

09.29.09

things i’ve written lately:

Ed’s Note: 9/24/09
Interview w/ Annie Mac!!

photos

that last one is amazing, isn’t it?

i should really just get a tumblr.

9.22.09

Future Models for Journalism’s Survival

In my last post regarding this topic, I briefly touched upon the current state of journalism — why it was failing to keep up with societal trends, how desperate the situation had become, and a few possible solutions.

Though a series of readings, videos and infographs, I have gleaned a lot of information about what experts think can be done to actually save the industry.

Above all, it appears that the key word is “change“.

In order to survive financially, the Fourth Estate must

-adapt, adapt, adapt
-understand itself from a technologically savvy perspective
-encourage new models from both the journalistic and the business sides of the industry.

Antiquated Models vs. New Models

“In the past, the difficulty and cost of operation, publication, and distribution severely limited the number of content suppliers. This scarcity raised the economic value of content. That additional value is gone today because a far wider range of sources of news and information exist.” (Excerpt from Robert Picard’s “Why Journalists Deserve Low Pay”)

In order to understand the new business models for journalism, one must understand what has worked before and what has not. Above all, one must understand that the need for experimentation takes precedence, since nobody has actually found the perfect solution. And it’s entirely possible that it hasn’t even been thought up yet, according to Jay Rosen:

“It’s possible we will lose some of the public goods that newspapers under the old subsidy system were able to bring forward. People ask me about this all the time. When I tell them there’s no answer at the moment a strange look comes across their faces. A social problem with no answer?”

The possibility that a solution does not exist is intimidating, to say the least. That hasn’t stopped some industry outliers from experimenting, however.

Though we are still in the beginning stages of seeing what is possible, there is no doubt that readers want two things: speed (think Twitter, the real-time Web, text  alerts), as well as in-depth reporting (the Sunday paper, multimedia online, audience-reporter interaction).

The solution may be to balance both speed and depth by building a strong online presence while acknowledging that the former bastions of the Fourth Estate (the paper, in this instance) simply cannot survive on its own steam. If anything, it must be supplemented by speed-based reporting.

Specifically, new models for news will be essential as a precursor to financial, business-side success. Hyperlocal blogging, for example, is one such model proposed by Jeff Jarvis in the Guardian:

“These are sustainable businesses and we believe they are critical elements of the future of local news – a future no longer controlled by a single newspaper but instead by an ecosystem made up of many players with varying motives, means and models, working collaboratively in networks.”

What is striking to me is that no longer will the power be held by monopolized news outlets anymore — but instead, the people, in a general consensus, will decide what’s news. In theory, this has already happened, but we have not made the push to go totally independent quite yet.

Though this particular idea is highly specialized, the motive behind its concept is simple: good design and insightful packaging can be a boon to the newspaper industry. However, not all elements of good paper design will be a compensation for what the Internet has to offer — rich text and linking, video, photo galleries, etc.

9.21.09

aye-yi-yi

Nine hours of solid sleep, four shots of iced espresso and a very light breakfast (Kashi Go Lean Crunch and 1 % milk).

And yet, I’m still somehow exhausted, mentally and physically.

I’ve never really taken note of it, but it’s occurring to me that I’m perpetually tired. This doesn’t bode well for my classes and my work.

I was wondering if it’s hypersomnia?

baby’s first court date

Going to the City of Austin Municipal Court to fight a speeding ticket I got over the summer today. Wish me luck.

9.17.09

ANNIE MAC

I can’t believe I got to interview this lovely lady:

listen to Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 Mashup asap, especially Dub Off! near the end of the set.
Keep an eye out for the interview next week when it runs in DT Weekend!

DAVID BAZAN

Also interviewed “DBZ” of the Headphones/Pedro the Lion today. He really opened up to me, it seems. I’m excited to write that one up. Keep an eye out for that one also.

LATELY

Ed’s Note 9/17/09
Interview w/ WoNK (one of my favorites lately)
Interview w/ Disco Biscuits

PHOTOS