McGuire on Media

Category Archives: Business of journalism

Some tidbits on ESPN.com/newspaper threat, Don Ohlmeyer and Pat Forde

My old friend Phil Meyer called it right when he commented in this article about ESPN.com entering Chicago. Phil called it another “nail in newspapers’ coffin.”  ESPN’s spokesman, Paul Melvin took a much politer tack.  “As a company, we are fans of newspapers, and not believers they are going away. They face challenges that will [...]

Trying to find the right tone when "left wing technologists" grab all the attention

Perhaps the wisest thing I read this summer was this fine articulation of an idea I’ve been talking about for months. Rick Edmonds, the media business guru for Poynter Online wrote this: “Put another way, a transition to robust digital options and aggressive experimentation are still good strategies for newspaper organizations. But I might tap [...]

News21 can teach us to make journalism and storytelling better

Wednesday I came out of a News21 presentation of work done by Cronkite School journalists that made me ready to shout from the rooftops.  This is sensational work done by great students with expert professional direction and funded by two incredibly far-sighted funders. Even more important for readers of this blog there are bright, clear [...]

Impact in academic research: Journalism needs the academy's help

Two weeks ago The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication had an all-day faculty meeting on the subject of academic research. The most intriguing discussion was on whether academic research should have “impact.”
The discussion revealed a fascinating chasm between academics and recent professionals.
I want to be very careful not to simplify or sensationalize [...]

McGuire's 2009 Business and Future of Journalism syllabus

Classes at Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism began today and so it is time to publish my syllabus for my Business and Future of Journalism class.
There are some notable changes. I am using online readings exclusively except for the four popular books I require. A quarter of the class will read one of [...]

Star Tribune teamsters, Michael Connelly and other rants

Tucson Citizen case should stop here

The judge in the Tucson Citizen case did exactly what I think he had to do when he rejected Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard’s request for a restraining order. AP Reporter Art Rotstein wrote: “Collins’ ruling denied the state a temporary restraining order, but the state is entitled to continue with its lawsuit alleging antitrust [...]

Newspaper critics need to count to 100 and take a sedative

It has been major sport for some time to mock the newspaper business and its executives for failure to act. Now words like “collusion’ and “bullies” and “too late” are pock-marking what should be an intelligent debate.
Jeff Jarvis, a guru way out of my league, is the hero of the critical set whose main message [...]

Associated Press is right to take on Google and other aggregators. Newspapers need to follow quickly.

Holy Smokes! The Associated Press announcement that it will take on aggregators like Google with legal action is as big a news as we’ve seen in a while. AP found its heart, its soul and it’s courage.
This is the battle that has to take place, and now the question will be who will join in.  [...]

McGuire's complete Presstime interview on newspaper future

Presstime has published a pretty interesting analysis of the future by a bunch of folks with lots of theories about where newspapers are heading. The piece offers some good insights. Presstime was kind enough to include my comments, but they edited some of my wisdom just as they edited everybody else.  I think it it [...]