Newspapers in '09

Like most Sundays, this morning I met friends for a run, and today's conversation began predictably with someone asking, "Did you see that story in the paper...?" As we shared our thoughts and views, I couldn't help but think of the venerable Rocky Mountain News, which will most likely shutter this month.

You might say, It's the Internet stupid.

Like the music industry, which has been crippeled by online file sharing, newspapers have been mortally injured by Internet advertising. C'mon now, Craigslist isn't exactly new anymore. Sure it's the execs' fault for being arrogant and slow to adapt. But blaming only goes so far. I want to know what's next. What's going to fill the void once the presses stop for real at my hometown paper?

I imagine for awhile my running buddies and I will simply switch on the computer or the TV for our headlines. But will anybody publish news photos of mountain lions lounging on Boulder's back porches? Or what about the short blurbs about local happenings like Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson last minute nuptials, performed by etown host Nick Forster? This is the stuff of good Sunday morning chats. I don't know if we'll find such gems as easily in the electronic news world.

Death of Independent Cinema... and Liberal CEOs

I have a confession to make. I went to see Milk at a movie theater owned by a man who supported Proposition 8. Where I live, people picketed and encouraged film goers to boycott the theater and see Milk elsewhere.

I understand the logic. Vote with your dollars. But my husband and I also hate to drive and honestly, I'm cynical. I have a hard time believing that the owners of any other theater chain are warm-hearted liberals who support gay marriage. I hope I'm wrong. If there was an independent movie theater where I live, there would have been no problem, but sadly they're a dying breed.

A quick search on OpenSecrets.org revealed that Peter C. Brown, CEO of AMC Entertainment, contributed $2,500 to fellow Kansan U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (R) in '07, but also $2,300 to Kansas Democrat Kay Barnes, who was defeated in her congressional race that year. So that doesn't tell us much. For Michael Patrick, CEO of Carmike Cinemas, OpenSecrets shows only one donation: $1,000 to Democrat Bill Bradley in '99.

And for the culprit, Alan Stock, CEO Of Cinemark and Century Theatres, who gave $9,999 to support Prop 8; Open Secrets shows only one contribution, $1,000 to Republican Phil Gramm in '96.

I need to a bit more research into this, but maybe my buddy Heath was right. We should have driven the eight miles to support a different theater chain.

When Digital Media Works

While digital media is convenient, it isn't always the appropriate way to convey a message. Case in point: when my 69-year-old mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, I wasn't expecting to hear about it first via text message. But that's what happened.

However, recently I experienced how digital media can convey delicate messages -- and do it very well.

When my 12-year-old golden retriever, Eddie, died, Facebook spread the message and served as a unexpected virtual memorial for photos and memories. My husband posted a simple photo album titled Best Dog Ever. Those who knew Eddie had died posted memories and notes of sympathy and support. As people visited the album, others joined in and a few people posted their own Eddie photos and even replaced their Facebook profile photos with photos of Eddie. Many of our friends and family members changed their statuses to honor Eddie. Everytime I logged onto Facebook, I was touched.

While we received several sympathy cards, a couple of bouquets of flowers, and even pears from Harry and David, it was the Facebook comments and sharing of memories that helped me the most through those first days.

Please Forgive Me, I'm a Digital Immigrant

I don't know why it took me so long. The signs were everywhere for many years... even my best friend studied new media back in the late '90s when it was just emerging as a field. She went on to work at Microsoft and Intel. But this print journalist (and supposed professional communicator) kept plugging away at her day job, and today I'm left playing catch up.

This blog is part of my education: 2009 is a year that will be devoted to learning about how to communicate effectively. In today's world, I don't think you can do that without digital technology, from blogging to Twitter, podcasting to texting. You can follow me on Twitter @marythebutler.

While I figure out the next career move (and how to get there), I'll be experimenting here with all that I'm learning in the classroom, in books, and at conferences. I attended the Thin Air Summit in October and took pages of notes while everyone around me surfed the Web on their laptops and iPhones. Yes, I'm a slow-to-adapt digital immigrant. Try not to hold it against me. I hope we can learn from each other.

I'll end this inaugural blog post with a book recommendation. Last night, I finished Taking on the System by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga of Daily Kos fame. I was deeply inspired by the book's many stories of how bloggers and the netroots movement have effected social change, from the Jena 6 to the election of Barack Obama. For me, Moulitsas shed new light on how the world's "gatekeepers" shape conventional wisdom and how those of us in the netroots movement can push for -- and bring about -- better transparency in government and politics and, in the end, fairness and justice.