A former colleague of mine at The Chronicle, Alan Mutter, is joining with the Inland Press Association to launch “the Executive Program for Innovative Change” — in essence, a boot camp for legacy newspaper publishers and senior executives to learn Silicon Valley-like innovation. Mutter also is a longtime Silicon Valley executive.
I worked at newspapers for decades (including at The Chronicle), but joined the digital media at its onset (at CNET). I also covered Silicon Valley firms for years. Our regional magazine has a foot firmly planted in print and online, and we’re growing steadily. I also enjoy a collaborative relationship with the Sacramento Bee — both with our business and my personal blog. The Bee’s “Sacramento Connect” network — a network of blogs, online “‘zines” and community news — is one of the industry’s most innovative programs.
Most newspaper publishers haven’t a clue about Silicon Valley or innovation — clinging to a utility-like mindset — so this is a cool idea. Here’s an introduction and video:
“The Executive Program for Innovative Change is an intensive program for a select group of senior newspaper executives — from large papers or small, dailies or weeklies — who over the course of 12 months plan, develop and execute projects that deliver game-changing positive results for their organizations.
Participants will learn how to cultivate a culture of innovation and continuous improvement at their companies.
“In sessions with leading media experts they will develop a strategic perspective as well as the entrepreneurial skills necessary to achieve a real-world goal. That could mean building revenue or audience, ramping up productivity or profitability or dramatically altering cost structure. Projects can involve the legacy print product, digital initiatives — or some media mixture.”
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Could it mean learning that kicking out the publisher of a failed paywall campaign so a new guy can come in and “reorganize” without losing face is a good idea? Maybe the new guy might even pay for good, timely, uncaptured by the staff photographer photos? They pay for freelance stories, why not photos?
Good luck to my former colleague Jeff A. in his “expanded” role in journalism in Roseburg, Ore.!
Looks like he’s really hitting the big time.
From Tahoe to Nevada, to Grass Valley and now Roseville.
What a career.
I was gravely disheartened the other day to read letters published in The Union opinion section that made grossly hysterical claims. These letters would clearly have been rejected by a functional newspaper and appeared to be something one would hear in psychiatric ward. This community deserves a change and I am hopeful now that The Union will step into it’s original and historical role to “preserve the union”.
I meant Roseburg.
Home of the Seven Feathers Casino and not much else.