Convergence Up Close & Personal
By Mary Jo DiLonardo
When it comes to convergence, I’ve got my hand in all sorts of pots. I write for Atlanta magazine but also have a blog for the magazine’s website. I write for Donald Trump’s radio show but also contribute to his Trump University website and occasionally help his staff writer with info for a couple of his books. I write for Parents magazine and contribute to their goodyblog online. I’ve written for websites and magazines where I’ve shot my own photos and video to accompany my stories. With media these days, you just can’t specialize.
Recently, a graduating college student majoring in journalism asked if she could talk to me about the industry. I was about to ask about her major, then realized that now smart journalism schools make sure their students specialize only in words. Whether it’s print, broadcast, online or wherever, the goal is having the talent to be able to get the message out in every medium. Multi-tasking at its media finest.
For the youngsters, it’ll be the norm; they won’t know anything else. But for those of us already in the field, it’s not always so easy. It’s kinda like when Don Webb, the vaunted old newsman at WLW Radio in Cincinnati, insisted on banging on his manual typewriter when everyone around him was using their slick electric machines when I worked there back in the ‘80s. No one was going to force him to accept technology, yet there was something so cool about the clacking of those keys. How would Don react today to a digital newsroom and additional duties of getting his newscasts posted to the Web?
Although smart writers now realize the importance of the Net (seen any newspaper circulation figures recently?), I’ve heard of several cases where writers at respected magazines and papers were miffed when they were asked to contribute to their Websites. They often didn’t want to do it because, in some cases, they thought it was beneath them. Most of them expected to be paid more for their troubles. But in most cases, they aren’t.
If you ask a big-name journalist star to start doing more than is in his or her contract – whether it’s write a blog or start calling in radio reports – then I’m sure there are additional dollars involved. But as far as the average writer/reporter goes, it’s all part of the job.
With print publications downsizing and instead putting much of their resources into their online operations, those grumblers have to change their ways. There are way too many fresh young faces ready to take their places and they’ll have no qualms about heading out to any assignment armed with more than a reporter’s notebook and pen. They’ll take a recorder, too, so after they’re done writing their story they can also download video and audio to the Website and feed it to the partner TV and radio stations. And write a blog. And maybe even do a podcast. Those darn overachievers.
In journalism for 20 years, award-winning writer Mary Jo DiLonardo is a senior contributing editor for Atlanta magazine, writes Donald Trump’s daily radio commentary, and has a background in radio, magazines, newspapers, and the web. Read her blog here.
