AFP liveblog: Old and New media

Sherry Sylvester: Total number of newspapers is less now than at time of American revolution. Local hometown newspapers are healthy. There is no "FoxNews"
"We are not up against the New York Times, we are up against the Forth-Worth Star Telegram."

Dan Gainor, of Media Research Center, businessandmedia.org: Old and new media guy. Old media laying off, shutting down. Pew center study - 4,000 jobs lost in mainstream media since 2000; last week, massive list of publications with layoffs and buyouts. Is traditional journalism headed for dustbin of history? Wrong! Online side is booming, even at traditional media websites (e.g., Atlanta Journal Constitution). It won't go away since people need to get news.

AP is going to have opinion. If everything they put out is news analysis.

Blogging can compete by giving a neutral or different view. If you have something key, need to make sure your facts are right. If you blog locally, you should have files on the reporters in your area. Mentions Scott Pelley of CBS. Mainstream media is hidebound by traditional rules. Journalists are mostly in a union (!! CWA, which is part of AFL-CIO).

Douglas Kirk: Out of Comal county. Publishes Bulvedere Standard, and was on school board. In the news business for 40 years. Had his own student paper, "anti-PUD Student News" PUD=Passive, uninvolved, docile. "People are a bunch of puds." Now has little newspaper (family business). "It's not all blogs", we are not dead yet; the objective is the same - mass communication. Both new and old target specific audience. Google is putting small town newspapers online, into searchable databases. New media is like the Wild West, and it is coming into more order. Small town papers outcirculate the larger papers. It's a great resource. Can send it to Texas Press Association. Push your way in, starting with the small newspapers.

Dan Gainor mentions that non-profit model might be tried (but may lead to more balance, these are leftwing millionaires). Washington Post and Newsweek don't make money; it's all Kaplan (testing services).

Douglas Kirk says "Send me your emails". Put 'freedom fighter' in subject line and stick to single topic.

Member in the audience says: Editors says, send articles from the blogs; get their permission to put them on their mailing list.

Consensus: Rumors of the death of old media are exagerrated. Traditional business model is not sustainable. Make money off of advertising, doesn't work anymore, but journalism will remain.