Alan Nelson was invited to speak to the AP Managing Editors and educated them to the potential for the use of blogs as associates in reporting and commenting on news. He really covered everything quite well, and I hope they paid attention and take his suggestions to heart.
What really had an impact on my thoughts regarding newspapers and television news was the opportunity for local outlets if they grasp the significance. No longer do they need to “waste space” in international covering issues.
Local newspapers, in particular, waste far too much front-page space on national and international topics. Most local newspapers rely on feeds from a news agency like AP and do nothing but cut and paste the story. That information is readily available, and already accessed by folks who care, through such outlets as national news shows, both network and cable, or on the internet. The local television stations also collect and regurgitate stories. A lot less time could be spent on these, or expansion of a story with a local tie-in.
The changes in information access over the last decade are still alien to many in the local news business. Sites like Command Post can provide them access to all the national and international news they need.
So where is the value for the newsroom of the future?
It might be in doing little to no national or international coverage