By Joe Mussato
San Diego Union-Tribune
In a ballroom full of newspapermen and women, the focus was on pursuing the digital future of an industry that, at least until recently, was stuck in its printed past.
A panel of progressive media professionals shared its insight at Thursday’s APSE conference into how to connect with readers through a phone instead of a printing press. Sports editors from across the country were handed a firm message rather than a massaged suggestion.
“You’ve got a racecar in your pocket and you’re driving it like a golf cart,” Val Hoeppner, a professional media consultant said.
With video capabilities on par with TV camera qualities and social media applications at hand, smartphones have both the tools to tell a better story and ways to reach an exponentially larger audience.
Teaching new skills to staffs while maintaining the foundations of journalism makes for a difficult transition, but Hoeppner’s advice was blunt.
“If it doesn’t work on mobile, it doesn’t work,” she said.
Mike Sherman, APSE president and sports editor at The Oklahoman, noted that smaller newsrooms might not have the means to bring in professional advisers like Hoeppner. Michael Anastasi, Los Angeles News Group, gave a breath of optimism to staffs trying to break into the technology-driven time.
“Everyone has experts,” Anastasi said. “Get them involved and get them to help in your sports department.”
“It’s not okay for you to be disengaged in social media because you don’t understand it,” Hoeppner added.
Identifying audience and reaching it with the best content has always been the traditional strategy. While the strategy hasn’t changed, the ways to execute it are evolving every day.
The traditional business model of print journalism has all but vanished, yet Anastasi encouraged every editor to adapt with the change rather than be overcome by it.
“We’re not going to succeed by playing defense,” Anastasi said. “There’s no magic in the air that’s going to make everything good. Leaders need to develop an offensive strategy.”
Joe Mussato is a summer intern for the Union-Tribune.
