Here's some bad news.
The New York Times reports that magazine ad sales everywhere are down 26 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Good thing I just got a job in magazine ad sales...
But don't worry. I didn't go into this job blind to the stats. I know how tough it is to make good money in this industry right now. However, lucky for me I can afford to be cheap for a little while...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Facebook.com/no-way
I cringe every time I see Facebook make a move toward becoming a Myspace copycat.
There's a reason I don't use Myspace anymore. Actually, there are many reasons, one of them being exactly what Facebook is proposing to do next.
According to Mashable, Facebook is questioning users about whether they would pay to have a "vanity URL," such as facebook.com/kelly or facebook.com/snickerdoodle89 or facebook.com/ILoveMyBF.
Well, Facebook gets a big, fat "no" from me. One of the reasons I don't like Myspace is that it seems unprofessional and young in the way people interact with each other, especially through their URLs. Now don't get me wrong. I had my own cheesy username (myspace.com/stormyhaze), but my relationship with Myspace ended the day I left for college.
Facebook encourages people to be themselves and not to exist under a superficial persona. You operate under your full name, not a fake one, and unless you want to tarnish your reputation both online and in real life, you subconsciously monitor your actions and responses in order to maintain a likeable online personality. It also easily functions professionally when you decide to leave college life behind you for the real world and a real job. The more credibility Facebook has, the more likely it is to be used for professional purposes. The minute vanity URLs are brought into the picture, personal responsibility and professionalism fly out the window.
There's a reason I don't use Myspace anymore. Actually, there are many reasons, one of them being exactly what Facebook is proposing to do next.
According to Mashable, Facebook is questioning users about whether they would pay to have a "vanity URL," such as facebook.com/kelly or facebook.com/snickerdoodle89 or facebook.com/ILoveMyBF.
Well, Facebook gets a big, fat "no" from me. One of the reasons I don't like Myspace is that it seems unprofessional and young in the way people interact with each other, especially through their URLs. Now don't get me wrong. I had my own cheesy username (myspace.com/stormyhaze), but my relationship with Myspace ended the day I left for college.
Facebook encourages people to be themselves and not to exist under a superficial persona. You operate under your full name, not a fake one, and unless you want to tarnish your reputation both online and in real life, you subconsciously monitor your actions and responses in order to maintain a likeable online personality. It also easily functions professionally when you decide to leave college life behind you for the real world and a real job. The more credibility Facebook has, the more likely it is to be used for professional purposes. The minute vanity URLs are brought into the picture, personal responsibility and professionalism fly out the window.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Through another's eyes
In line with my post from the other day, Martin Langeveld blogged about some of his ideas for the floundering industry.
My favorites:
"'Only 3 percent of newspaper reading happens online.' That’s newspaper reading, not news reading."
"...newspapers are in no position to charge for content, with the possible exception of high-value niche content in limited circumstances. The last thing an industry hard hit by disruption should be doing is raising prices, whether from zero to something, or from something to something more."
And he's an advocate of social networking! The perfect package. I hope there are a whole lot of journalists like him milling around out there.
My favorites:
"'Only 3 percent of newspaper reading happens online.' That’s newspaper reading, not news reading."
"...newspapers are in no position to charge for content, with the possible exception of high-value niche content in limited circumstances. The last thing an industry hard hit by disruption should be doing is raising prices, whether from zero to something, or from something to something more."
And he's an advocate of social networking! The perfect package. I hope there are a whole lot of journalists like him milling around out there.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Second day update
Just a quick update:
Yesterday, I started my new job as a magazine sales executive for a community newspaper.
I'm sure I've pointed out before that I had no previous sales experience before now. I knew newsrooms like the back of my hand but ad departments were totally foreign to me, and I was worried about whether I'd be able to train my mind to stop thinking like a reporter and start operating like a salesperson.
Well, that transition is underway, and it's happening much faster than I thought it would. While I've only worked two full days on the job so far, I'm learning so much and actually retaining information (something that's usually rare for me).
Today was a blur of sales calls, new faces, business cards, merchandise and shaking hands. Yet another power day for Kelly Ann Frizzell, budding journalist! Let's hope there are plenty more to follow.
Yesterday, I started my new job as a magazine sales executive for a community newspaper.
I'm sure I've pointed out before that I had no previous sales experience before now. I knew newsrooms like the back of my hand but ad departments were totally foreign to me, and I was worried about whether I'd be able to train my mind to stop thinking like a reporter and start operating like a salesperson.
Well, that transition is underway, and it's happening much faster than I thought it would. While I've only worked two full days on the job so far, I'm learning so much and actually retaining information (something that's usually rare for me).
Today was a blur of sales calls, new faces, business cards, merchandise and shaking hands. Yet another power day for Kelly Ann Frizzell, budding journalist! Let's hope there are plenty more to follow.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The ultimate checklist
Ever wonder if you're successfully integrating and navigating the vast expanse of social networks on the Internet these days?
Well, Mashable makes you question yourself with the new Social Media Recruitment Test.
Before reading about what makes a successful social network-er, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of utilizing social networking, maybe not to its maximum potential but at least enough to be ahead of the game. Now, I just feel silly.
I don't have a resume on my blog. I don't have any recommendations on LinkedIn. I'm not a member of journalism groups on Facebook. I don't Tweet 10 times a day, and I'm only following 100 people versus 1,000.
At least now I know exactly what I have to do. So look for changes in the next few months because I'm determined to stay on top of things in this industry.
Well, Mashable makes you question yourself with the new Social Media Recruitment Test.
Before reading about what makes a successful social network-er, I thought I was doing a pretty good job of utilizing social networking, maybe not to its maximum potential but at least enough to be ahead of the game. Now, I just feel silly.
I don't have a resume on my blog. I don't have any recommendations on LinkedIn. I'm not a member of journalism groups on Facebook. I don't Tweet 10 times a day, and I'm only following 100 people versus 1,000.
At least now I know exactly what I have to do. So look for changes in the next few months because I'm determined to stay on top of things in this industry.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
100 posts!!!
It's a 100th post celebration!!
Thanks to all of you for your support! Hopefully, Kelly Talks will be up and running for another 100 posts. And another. And another...
Through a new journalist's eyes
People don't seem to understand why young journalists like me still see hope in newspapers.
There’s a lot of talk about newspaper doomsday – about why things went wrong, who’s to blame, when to get out so that you can still land a job with a decent salary. Yet I find very few people offering solutions to these problems, aside from the silly notion that consumers should pay per article online (an argument we’ll save for another day).
Here’s what I think newspapers should do:
Let go of the print version and go all in online.
And no, I’m not talking about killing the newspaper. In my eyes, a newspaper online is the same as a newspaper in print. They’re still the same newspaper with the same information, same reporters, same advertisers, same publisher, same community. How is one product more of a newspaper than another? It’s time for us to start thinking outside the box a little bit. We’re talking about letting go of a product that uses extensive and damaging amounts of paper and ink for a product that is cleaner for the environment, cheaper for readers (it’s free, people!) and still equally marketable. Take a chance, leave your comfort zone and go completely online with your newspaper.
Lay off some of your staff.
As a recent graduate currently feeling out the job market, I don’t like that idea any more than you or the journalists you’re laying off do. But unfortunately we’re in a struggling economy and industry, and newspapers are a business, and businesses have to make monetarily uncomfortable decisions sometimes. However, I’m only talking temporarily. Switching to completely online will mean that you have to initially run your product slim and tight. You should work with the minimal amount of reporters, advertisers and especially managers possible. Don’t go crazy with big projects and expensive, unnecessary investigations in order to grab readers. Focus on delivering the news, providing information and serving your community. You can reward yourself with the fun stuff later.
Don’t panic.
Though you’re not getting as much money from advertisers with online versus print, the day will come when advertisers see the value of online. The more that newspapers switch to an online model, the more advertisers will turn to online advertising, either because they’re left with no choice or they truly are starting to see where this is going. As more consumers value online news, advertisers will seek to target them, finding that online newspapers are the best environment for such a task. Just because advertising’s slow now, doesn’t mean it always will be. Do what you can to get by at the moment, and wait patiently for the market to pick up again.
Sit tight.
Eventually advertising will pick back up and you can slowly hire more and more people. Start building your new product, using your money wisely. In a few years or a decade or so, a new industry – online news – will be thriving and our generation will sit around and reminisce about the good old days when newspapers were poor.
Don’t lose hope.
Newspapers are necessary to our society. They are the voice of the people. They’re not going anywhere. They’re just changing along with the rest of us.
There’s a lot of talk about newspaper doomsday – about why things went wrong, who’s to blame, when to get out so that you can still land a job with a decent salary. Yet I find very few people offering solutions to these problems, aside from the silly notion that consumers should pay per article online (an argument we’ll save for another day).
Here’s what I think newspapers should do:
Let go of the print version and go all in online.
And no, I’m not talking about killing the newspaper. In my eyes, a newspaper online is the same as a newspaper in print. They’re still the same newspaper with the same information, same reporters, same advertisers, same publisher, same community. How is one product more of a newspaper than another? It’s time for us to start thinking outside the box a little bit. We’re talking about letting go of a product that uses extensive and damaging amounts of paper and ink for a product that is cleaner for the environment, cheaper for readers (it’s free, people!) and still equally marketable. Take a chance, leave your comfort zone and go completely online with your newspaper.
Lay off some of your staff.
As a recent graduate currently feeling out the job market, I don’t like that idea any more than you or the journalists you’re laying off do. But unfortunately we’re in a struggling economy and industry, and newspapers are a business, and businesses have to make monetarily uncomfortable decisions sometimes. However, I’m only talking temporarily. Switching to completely online will mean that you have to initially run your product slim and tight. You should work with the minimal amount of reporters, advertisers and especially managers possible. Don’t go crazy with big projects and expensive, unnecessary investigations in order to grab readers. Focus on delivering the news, providing information and serving your community. You can reward yourself with the fun stuff later.
Don’t panic.
Though you’re not getting as much money from advertisers with online versus print, the day will come when advertisers see the value of online. The more that newspapers switch to an online model, the more advertisers will turn to online advertising, either because they’re left with no choice or they truly are starting to see where this is going. As more consumers value online news, advertisers will seek to target them, finding that online newspapers are the best environment for such a task. Just because advertising’s slow now, doesn’t mean it always will be. Do what you can to get by at the moment, and wait patiently for the market to pick up again.
Sit tight.
Eventually advertising will pick back up and you can slowly hire more and more people. Start building your new product, using your money wisely. In a few years or a decade or so, a new industry – online news – will be thriving and our generation will sit around and reminisce about the good old days when newspapers were poor.
Don’t lose hope.
Newspapers are necessary to our society. They are the voice of the people. They’re not going anywhere. They’re just changing along with the rest of us.
And we're back!
Apparently, I decided to take a week-long vacation after securing a job. Sorry for the irregular posts!
I stumbled across an interesting article through a mentor of mine. I never considered the fact that social networking is ultimately leading to the likelihood that people my age will strongly value local news content. Check it out.
I stumbled across an interesting article through a mentor of mine. I never considered the fact that social networking is ultimately leading to the likelihood that people my age will strongly value local news content. Check it out.
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