The Future of Local News
We begin a series of interviews with local journalists around the country
For the next several weeks, we are going to be interviewing reporters, producers and managers who work in local news around the country. Each is one we feel is doing something above and beyond the typical journalist. We start with John P. Wise, the new director of digital media at WSYX-TV in Columbus, OH. John has 30 years of journalism under his belt, including more than 20 years in digital media. He’s also an avid photographer. He’s this week’s lede story.
THE LEDE
IMAGE: John P. Wise
You are the newly-minted director of digital media at WSYX-TV in Columbus, OH. What lessons do you bring to your job that will improve the station’s digital presence?
At this point in my career, and as I've gotten older, I feel like teaching the Xs and Os of producing content is pretty easy. The lessons I'm now trying to share with younger folks are the intangibles — team before self, the importance of personal growth, celebrating others, challenging yourself, communication. These things are considered "soft skills" but they are just as important as any other skill.
From 2006-2008, you were the national news editor for Fox Interactive Media. That included providing content to the Fox News website. Tell us about that experience.
That wasn't my first startup, but that was my first startup in New York, which, coming from the midwest, provided more personal growth for me than professional. But I learned a lot about leadership working under Jim Thompson, who remains one of the world's great humans, in my eyes. I complained to him here or there about my daily duties and how they weren't terribly challenging, and I'll never forget his reply, which I have stolen from him a few times in subsequent startup environments: "That description was written for a job that hadn't yet existed."
But also in those conversations, Jim heard my frustrations and challenged me to come up with a way to do more of what I wanted to do that also would bring value to our audiences. So we branched out and started doing some more original content, and he even asked me to lead our coverage of the 2008 political conventions, sending me to Denver and Minneapolis for both of them. And you might remember I got arrested while covering a protest on the last night in Minneapolis. You were one of the many nice people who reached out to me to check on me after I got out of jail the next morning! (Ed. Note: Indeed, I was concerned for John’s well-being, not to mention furious at his arrest.)
One of your early jobs was working at Internet Broadcasting (IB). It was one of the first companies to offer newsrooms a partnership in building their websites. I maintained stations were better off building the sites themselves. Looking back, what benefits did partner stations get out of the relationship? Was I wrong?
You weren't wrong, as I think the fewer things you farm out, in any operation, the better. But at that time when IB (then called IBS) was starting out, nobody knew how to be on digital. Should we have an in-house editorial staff or third party? Build a CMS ourselves or, again, use a third party? I don't know a ton about WorldNow, but if I recall, IB and WorldNow were really the two big players in that space, and WorldNow outlasted IB by a few years, but neither is around anymore. The benefit back then was that you had people who knew how to get you online with a proper-looking news website, but now that knowledge is less scarce, so many operators have brought their digital operations in-house.
You’ve worked in digital journalism most of your career. What’s the biggest change/innovation you’ve seen in digital media the last 20 years?
I love that the industry is as great at going after new technology as it has been. Livestreaming? Awesome! Social media? Let's get on it. Apps? How do we build them? The current one that our industry is still trying to figure out is OTT/CTV. We're all there in some form or fashion, but how many of us are doing it correctly? I see you have an OTT-specific question below so I'll elaborate later…
What elements make for a great news website?
Well I'd be an idiot if I didn't say content first. If you offer great content, you will never lack for customers/readers. Is your content relevant/informative/timely/provocative? Also, are you a trusted provider of news and information? If you are a television station's companion site, you are probably viewed the same way that the station is, in terms of brand, credibility and reputation. That speaks to the importance of cohesion between broadcast and digital platforms. Lastly, your site must be user-friendly; make it easy to read and navigate and optimized for mobile.
John included his Q Code in his email, which is pretty cool. We thought we’d share it.
You’re a big proponent of OTT - those channels that people get “Over The Top,” like Disney+ and Netflix. What’s OTT’s role locally?
This is where the conversation gets a little less certain. We know we need to be here, but what do we need to be or do or look like? Sometimes the TV industry tries too hard to be all things to all people, and that doesn't work. Those who are approaching it correctly are the ones who recognize that their streaming competitors aren't the two or three other local stations in their markets; they are Netflix and Hulu and Amazon Prime, among many others. We can't beat them at their game, obviously, so we are figuring out how to change the game. Some are doing that better than others.
For more than 20 years, throughout your different jobs, you’ve always been a photographer. What is it you enjoy about shooting one picture at a time - as opposed to video - that appeals to you?
That's a great question and one I've never really thought about. All photographers are artists — be they still or video — but if I had to compare, I'd say capturing a moment in one still is slightly harder because you're constantly rolling on video. That's like shooting fish in a barrel. At the same time, the video of the fiery interstate crash is probably going to deliver more impact than a still picture of it.
Anything else we should know?
I will share one last note. You hear about the Great Resignation and people leaving our industry because it pays poorly and it staffs poorly, etc. I can't really argue with that. We need to get better. But one thing I would say to young people considering a career in journalism or maybe to people who are thinking about getting out: It is worth it. I'm not aware of a time when journalism is needed more than it is now.
For nearly a decade now, those charged with holding the powerful accountable and shining light in dark corners have been under attack like never before. Democracy can't be preserved, let alone strengthened, without people who seek the truth and spread it far and wide. If it wasn't for journalism, and one Columbus journalist in particular, many Americans would have bought the political narrative that the story of a 10-year-old Ohio rape survivor who went to Indiana to get an abortion was a hoax. It was not a hoax, and we know that now because of journalism.
Thanks to John for his wise insight. (And yes, we’re sure that’s the first time we’ve heard that before.) If you’re a journalist or in digital media and would like to be interviewed, smash the button below to send us an email pitch.
NEWS AND NOTES
TRUTH SOCIAL IN FINANCIAL JEOPARDY: Donald Trump’s Twitter copycat, Truth Social, got off to a bad start and has only gone downhill from there.
IMAGE: Borrowed without permission but, you know…
A lack of participation has scared off investors, and now it turns out Trump’s company owes its hosting company more than $1.5 million, a bill that has been accruing since March. The Trump Media and Technology Group has lost $6.5 million since January, according to Fox Business. (And when Trump has lost Fox Business, you know it’s a problem.) RightForge, the hosting company, is threatening to sue.
In other Truth Social news, a judge has rejected the company’s request for a trademark, saying the company’s name was too similar to others’, including the Truth Network, a Christian broadcaster.
ZOOM STOCK ZOOMS DOWN: Zoom’s stock (NASDAQ: ZM) has seen a huge drop since last year, as people return to work and meet in person more. A year ago, Zoom stock was trading at almost $350. Now, it’s around $80. You might as well buy Bitcoin.
Zoom saw a tremendous windfall from the worldwide pandemic. What we’re seeing here, I believe, is a correction. In December, 2019, just before the pandemic, Zoom was trading at $63. So the current stock price of $81 may reflect a reset to the pre-Covid value of the company.
To give you an idea of the volatility of Zoom’s stock, its market cap at the end of 2020 was $162 billion, making it more valuable than T-Mobile and putting it in the same league as Comcast and AT&T (Source). Its market cap is now $24 billion.
LINKS AND LIKES
PODCAST: “Who Killed Daphne?” I found this through an interview on NPR I recommend listening to for a quick recap. Daphne Caruana Galizia was an investigative journalist on the island of Malta, exposing corruption at the highest levels. She died in a car bombing in 2017.
Her son, Matthew, is also a journalist, and he has produced an excellent six-part podcast that investigates his mother’s murder. No spoilers here, but unlike many “whodunit” podcasts, there is a satisfying ending. (Apple, Spotify)
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON: I couldn’t let the newsletter go by without opining on the HBO “Game of Thrones” prequel. So far, so meh. It has big shoes to fill, and it got off to an unremarkable start. Diehard “Thrones” fans will delight in returning to Westeros, seeing a dragon in flight and an earlier version of the Iron Throne. But the plot of the first two episodes has dragged (dragoned?) and the “bad guy,” played by the usually excellent Matt Smith, is cartoonishly evil. It often takes a show a few episodes to find its voice, so we’ll generously give this one an incomplete for now.
TOPS IN PODCASTING: Via Chartable, here are the Top Five Podcasts:
BEYOND THE REMOTE
I’m going way, way off topic to share this one. Many of you know your humble correspondent is a baseball maniac. I’ve had a great summer watching minor league and college baseball and I want to recommend that you support it. It’s affordable — you can take a family of four to a minor league game and the total price of the tickets, parking and food will still be cheaper than one box seat at a major league game. The ballparks are great, and it’s truly fun for the whole family. A few personal pictures from my travels:
Dunkin’ Donuts Park, Hartford CT, Red Sox Prospects vs Yankees Prospects. 8/26/22.
Polar Park, Worcester, MA, home of Worcester “WooSox” Red Sox, (AAA affiliate) vs. Rochester Red Wings. 5/13/22.
Cape Cod League, McKeon Park, Hyannis, MA. Hyannis Harbor Hawks vs Bourne Braves, 7/6/22. All-volunteer, the price of admission is whatever you want to donate.
The minors give you a great view, both literally and figuratively, of who is up-and-coming. The in-between innings promotions are a lot of fun (Dad and I won free Table Talk pies at a WooSox game!) and the clubs do a lot to incorporate their communities. The Worcester Red Sox sometimes even outdraw the Oakland A’s. The games are fast, and the quality of play is good. Support minor league baseball!
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Thanks to John Cockrell for his editorial assistance.
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