Comments on: WaPo Radio post mortem offers convergence lessons http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/ Where TV Finds the Future Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:43:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kostas http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-595950 Kostas Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:24:01 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-595950 interesting interesting

]]> By: Steve Safran http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472428 Steve Safran Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:40:27 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472428 I'm not sure combining print and radio was what we mean by "convergence," although it was an interesting experiment. Convergence, as we bandy it about at LR anyway, generally means a coming-together of new tech and old. There was nothing new about either of these technologies. And that people who were trained in one discipline turned out not as polished in another? Shocking. While we wring our hands and quietly enjoy the misfortunes of others who try new things, a new generation of journalists adds members to its ranks every day who do not give a shit about their platform. They don't go into paroxysms when one of their own gives a condensed version of a "newspaper" story on the radio. They don't flip out when someone's presentation isn't "broadcast quality." They just do the news. As long as the Vs Thinking continues among the rank and file, all we do is hurt our own careers and companies. I’m not sure combining print and radio was what we mean by “convergence,” although it was an interesting experiment. Convergence, as we bandy it about at LR anyway, generally means a coming-together of new tech and old. There was nothing new about either of these technologies.

And that people who were trained in one discipline turned out not as polished in another? Shocking.

While we wring our hands and quietly enjoy the misfortunes of others who try new things, a new generation of journalists adds members to its ranks every day who do not give a shit about their platform. They don’t go into paroxysms when one of their own gives a condensed version of a “newspaper” story on the radio. They don’t flip out when someone’s presentation isn’t “broadcast quality.”

They just do the news.

As long as the Vs Thinking continues among the rank and file, all we do is hurt our own careers and companies.

]]> By: David Johnson http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472237 David Johnson Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:02:45 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472237 i'm also starting to wonder if 'convergence' is a buzzword that has jumped the shark. or maybe it was just a concept we needed to use as a stopgap while we got our heads around the multimedia capabilities of the online platform. there's a growing desire to create superjournalists who embody the 'platypus concept' - those jacks-and-jills-of-all-trades who can report for and create platform agnostic content. they may be versatile and flexible and a better salary bargain, but if they are masters of none, will the masters of particular media trump them with a higher quality, specialized product? i’m also starting to wonder if ‘convergence’ is a buzzword that has jumped the shark. or maybe it was just a concept we needed to use as a stopgap while we got our heads around the multimedia capabilities of the online platform.

there’s a growing desire to create superjournalists who embody the ‘platypus concept’ - those jacks-and-jills-of-all-trades who can report for and create platform agnostic content. they may be versatile and flexible and a better salary bargain, but if they are masters of none, will the masters of particular media trump them with a higher quality, specialized product?

]]> By: Anony Mouse http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472141 Anony Mouse Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:30:56 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/08/29/washington-post-radio-post-mortem-offers-convergence-lessons/#comment-472141 Anybody forced into one of those shotgun convergence marriages (which came about thanks to the hype over tbo.com) should recognize the pattern: newspapers hate broadcasters - after initial excitement, broadcasters grow to resent newspaper attitude - management tries to force convenience - online gets caught in the middle and begins to follow familiar allegiance paths (newspaper web vs. TV web) and all hope and promise flies out the window! Look at any of the highly-touted convergence marriages and you'll find more separation that cooperation. For God's sake, KTLA anchors were burning copies of the LA Times on the Morning Show set for crying out loud! Anybody forced into one of those shotgun convergence marriages (which came about thanks to the hype over tbo.com) should recognize the pattern: newspapers hate broadcasters - after initial excitement, broadcasters grow to resent newspaper attitude - management tries to force convenience - online gets caught in the middle and begins to follow familiar allegiance paths (newspaper web vs. TV web) and all hope and promise flies out the window!

Look at any of the highly-touted convergence marriages and you’ll find more separation that cooperation. For God’s sake, KTLA anchors were burning copies of the LA Times on the Morning Show set for crying out loud!

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