Livetweeting “The End of Local News?”

A reposting, in actual chronological order (not normal reverse), of the Tweets from the recent symposium in Baltimore on the future of local news after newspapers.

missjames: waiting for the merrill panel on local news to start. #localnews

nancethepants : This is the largest group of journalists I’ve ever seen converge without breaking news or booze. #localnews

pinkgrammar : With @ maryvale , @missjames and @ nancethepants at Merrill panel. #localnews

nancethepants : @ ckrewson yes! The place is filling up. Here with @ pinkgrammar , @missjames, @ maryvale , @johnemcimtyre, lots more #localnews

nancethepants : @ ckrewson sandy banisky just introduced him. He’s got his mac with him! #localnews

missjames: panel heavy on print, one tv and one online (@pottsmark) rep. #localnews

maryvale : The audience at the #localnews panel is infiltrated with extra speakers. Huh. Looking forward to seeing what @pottsmark has to say today.

maryvale : The first question was in there somewhere. What is the impact of changing media landscape on cities? #localnews @montycook is first.

missjames: @montycook: we must understand audience patterns in order to figure out how we can keep offering the hallmarks of print news #localnews

talkingheadsTV : @montycook says readers determine life/importance of news stories #localnews

maryvale : So @montycook says our work belongs to readers (viewers, users) once it’s out there. Agreed. #localnews

nancethepants : @montycook: “if you read [the news], it’s yours.” audience now owns the product, but who buys it? #localnews

missjames: sad? Oliver (afro): we came to realize soon that young people will likely never pick up a newspaper. they want more brief items. #localnews

missjames: Oliver: “we’re not confounded, we’re excited” about possibilities of new tech. “we’re not just a local newspaper anymore.” #localnews

maryvale : Jake Oliver says the Afro has to be national and international because of the Web. Interesting as we try to go local. #localnews

nancethepants : Oliver: Afro-American expands coverage beyond region because of Internet. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Afro American is excited about social networking. Web is causing it to evolve, reach out to national audience. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Balt AfroAmer: Internet forced us to have national focus #localnews

davetroy : Roughly 75% of the room here at #localnews summit used to work for the Baltimore Sun. And I’m covering this? The inversion is real.

maryvale : Jayne Miller from WBAL just called for a show of hands of former @baltimoresun employees. Half the room. #localnews

nancethepants : Consensus seems to be that the audience is bigger, but there is little understanding of that audience. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Whoa. When prompted, half the people at the future of news forum raised hands as ex-Sun reporters #localnews

missjames: jayne miller: when sun got rid of Maryland section, she subscribed to the nyt. if papers lose writers, tv will not replace them. #localnews

davetroy : Jayne Miller: “Only reason Hearst Corp has survived downturn is because it owns 20% of ESPN, and it gets subscriber revenue.” #localnews

maryvale : Miller says the answer for her isn’t adding more reporters to stations. It’s taking advantage of platforms. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : RT @ maryvale Jayne Miller from WBAL just called for a show of hands of former @baltimoresun employees. Half the room. #localnews

missjames: miller: future of tv is not more reporters, it’s delivery models. tv will be ok, but loss of print reporters is important. #localnews

nancethepants : Jayne miller calls out the sun, broadcast to work harder, do better. First real emotion we’ve seen so far. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Twitterberry causing problems. So few updates from me. #localnews

maryvale : Tim Franklin: if anyone tells you they know what the future of news is, they don’t know what they’re talking about. #localnews

MegMcKeever : Still at work. Keep the #localnews summit tweets coming!

maryvale : @ ckrewson @ davetroy Me and my gals are using #localnews hashtag (4 of us tweeting).

davetroy : Tim Franklin: “Today is much like the days of the penny press; low cost of entry, lots of participants + fragmentation.” #localnews

talkingheadsTV : TimFranklin: impossible to predict future of news, but my two cents says we’re back to the penny press in form of blogging #localnews

pinkgrammar : Tim Franklin says we’re back to beginning, to the penny press. Several new entrants to market chewing away at traditional media. #localnews

missjames: tim franklin: we’re back to beginning of republic. comparing new tech to penny press. as then, nearly anyone can publish. #localnews

ckrewson : Four folks tweeting from the Bmore news symposium are using #localnews to track the action.

nancethepants : Tim franklin compares today’s industry to penny press era: everyone can start up a news org. Reluctant to forecast next 5 years. #localnews

davetroy : Tim Franklin: “There will be winners and losers in this new market; whoever can capitalize on the opportunity. More job losses.” #localnews

maryvale : Franklin: Some of these Web sites couldn’t even charge a penny (jumping off penny press model). Zing? Or true about pay walls? #localnews

pinkgrammar : But he says there will be winners and losers. #localnews

michaeltdresser : RT @ talkingheadsTV TimFranklin: impossible to predict future of news, but says we’re back to the penny press in form of blogging #localnews

missjames: franklin: more papers will fold, no more two-paper towns, maybe even a major metro area w/out a paper. #localnews

nancethepants : Franklin says cities won’t have more than one paper, some less. Gives kudos to espn for mastering many platforms. #localnews

maryvale : Watching @montycook take notes about local ESPN channels. Competition from long arm of national news orgs. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Franklin:ESPN developing model for behemoth conglomerates to cover local news, so maybe Google will fill in the gap #localnews

missjames: franklin: more localization from big guys like espn will happen, and from small guys too. #localnews

davetroy : Mark Potts giving overview of some of the local websites; like baltimoresun.com afro.com wbal.com mddailyrecord.com citypaper.com #localnews

michaeltdresser : RT @ talkingheadsTV Whoa. When prompted, half the people at the future of news forum raised hands as ex-Sun reporters #localnews

nancethepants : Mark potts says evolution of industry has been continuous. Fragmentation just highlights it. #localnews

davetroy : Potts investigativevoice.com baltimorebrew.com baltimorecrime.blogspot.com bmorenews.com blogbaltimore.com examiner.com/baltimore #localnews

pinkgrammar : @pottsmark shows us traditional media Web sites and some nontraditional ones. #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: highlighting local news sites: baltimore brew, Baltimore crime, examiner.com (not the paper) (I’ve missed some) #localnews

nancethepants : Potts points out Baltimore brew, bmore news, blog Baltimore, examiner, baltimore crime, @localist #localnews

davetroy : Potts: localist.com/baltimore whatstoeatbaltimore.blogspot.com 600block.com yelp.com/baltimore baltimore.momslikeme.com #localnews

maryvale : Mention of @localist from @pottsmark. Also Yelp, Momslikeme, Kid Baltimore, @600block. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Baltimore injury law blog! Yes, blogs get VERY specific. #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: people are starting to slice very thin pieces of the news to report. (pers. injury blog got laughs from audience.) #localnews

nancethepants : Potts mentions lack of “media filter” with company web sites. why do so many assume the filter is always a bad thing? #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: voice of san diego, chi town daily news, minn post, baristanet, every block good examples of online local coverage #localnews

maryvale : Are these sites part of the future? Who knows. They’re part of the present. -@pottsmark #localnews

davetroy : Potts: voiceofsandiego.org minnpost.com baristanet.com westportnow.com everyblock.com dc.fwix.com “Some ppl don’t want payment” #localnews

maryvale : “Some of these people don’t want to get paid.” -@pottsmark #localnews

nancethepants : Potts: on nontraditional news orgs “some of these people don’t want to be paid.” passion doesn’t pay the mortgage. I wish it did. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Very interested in Fwix.com- news site consisting of roundup of local blog posts #localnews

missjames: continuous invention, continuous failure, continuous restart is name of game, moderator says. #localnews

nancethepants : Tom linthicum: daily record is expanding. Steadier revenues, lack of business coverage competition has helped. #localnews

davetroy : MD Daily Record says “they are expanding” because of non-ad revenues (legal listings); me: is this not parasitic? #localnews

maryvale : Tom from@mddailyrecord says they made their move when @baltimoresun cut freestanding biz section. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Linthicum said Daily Record is expanding- going for market share when Sun killed daily Biz section #localnews

missjames: linthicum of daily record: expanded when sun lost biz section. “we see an opportunity for us. [with new tech] but it’s not easy.” #localnews

nancethepants : Linthicum sees changes in technology as opportunity for serious, tough journalists. #localnews

mykeln : Looks like #localnews was a bad hashtag choice. It’s getting lost among tons of junk.

howe2skate: Its good to see that #localnews is finally realizing the old Business plan needs changing. Now they are only 2 years behind.

localist: We’ll be here tomorrow! RT @ maryvale : Are these sites part of the future? Who knows. They’re part of the present. -@pottsmark #localnews

maryvale : Mike Hill says loss of classified advertising happened “overnight.” Not true. It was missed opportunity over missed opportunity. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Don’t cry for dead print section, says Daily Record. It looks for way to segment biz community, take advantage of new landscape. #localnews

missjames: mike hill, former sun union rep: in 1970s, you could find similar number of former newspaper people bc they couldn’t afford it. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Mike Hill: more peole looking at news content than ever- doesn’t matter, loss of classifieds revenue (20-40%) killed print #localnews

davetroy : “Journalism is going to end up being like the peace corps; young ppl do it for 2-3 years and then move on.” – Mike Hill #localnews

missjames: hill: last 30 years could have been an anomoly in journalism, but there needs to be more. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : …cont) opportunity. #localnews TRUE THAT

pinkgrammar : News corps were too greedy before Internet age, says Mike Hill, former @baltimoresun reporter. #localnews

nancethepants : Mike hill gives guild perspective, says new journalists will change Industries after only a couple years, like peace Corp. #localnews

missjames: moderator points out health news wire backed by kaiser foundation. will that happen elsewhere? is it viable model? #localnews

dontgetcaught: RT @ davetroy : Roughly 75% of room at #localnews summit used to work for the Baltimore Sun. And I’m covering this? The inversion is real.

nancethepants : No pay wall around entire site, but we need to be compensated for content, @montycook says. #localnews

missjames: @montycook: we’re trying out niche sites, new ways to monetize. “but we can’t put up a wall” around content #localnews

pinkgrammar : We’re hearing about possible pay sites. “Good luck with that,” says @pottsmark. @montycook adds: You can’t put up a pay wall. #localnews

nancethepants : Advertising will not carry everything, @montycook says. Then consumer will? How? #localnews

maryvale : Coming @baltimoresun Web redesign has “transactional opportunities” built in. Er? #localnews

talkingheadsTV : RT @ maryvale Coming @baltimoresun Web redesign next week has “transactional opportunities” built in. Er? #localnews

nancethepants : Franklin: niche sites with credibility will do well. Yes! That’s why we need to protect our own credibility @baltimoresun! #localnews

davetroy : “We will be flooded with commodity news on the web; solid public local journalism is where the value is.” – Tim Franklin #localnews

davetroy : “None of the websites we saw can hold a candle to professional journalism.” – Jayne Miller #localnews Really? That’s the stance?

nancethepants : Miller: smaller sites cannot hold a candle to professional journalism operations. They don’t compare. #localnews

missjames: miller: upstart web sites will not be substitute for prof journalism. “when 9/11 happened, the didn’t say go to your cpu” #localnews

pinkgrammar : No real answers on how journalism will be paid for. Miller says new Web news sites can’t hold a candle to professional orgs. #localnews

davetroy : “These websites don’t change policy; they don’t get the city council riled up; it’s not the replacement.” – Jayne Miller #localnews #wow

missjames: miller is obviously not a believer in future of online. #localnews

nancethepants : Miller: sites don’t change policy, don’t aid debate, can’t replace news orgs. // that seems short-sighted to me. #localnews

missjames: oliver: I’m not worried about online. #localnews

davetroy : Potts disagrees — suggests that Miller check out voiceofsandiego.org and others. Jake Oliver “not that worried about websites.” #localnews

talkingheadsTV : …cont) Drudge #localnews

nancethepants : Oliver: not worried about new media, not threatened, they have little new content. // I don’t think we go to the same sites. #localnews

missjames: here comes ettlin. asks @montycook about “aggressively trying to burt print edition.” @montycook: “we’re not.” well then. #localnews

missjames: “trying to bury,” that is. #localnews

mykeln : Sounds like they’ve run out of “the Web is cool.. yeah… we really like it” talking points and are starting to be honest. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : RT @missjames here comes ettlin. asks about “aggressively trying to burt print edition.” @montycook: “we’re not.” well then. #localnews

maryvale : Oof. Went to move my car and missed Jayne Miller’s divisive comment about upstart sites not matching mainstream credibility. #localnews

missjames: @montycook gives shoutout to @justinfenton, @phpscoop, @laurasmitherman for in-depth reporting. #localnews

nancethepants : Cook defends investigative work of justin fenton, @phscoop, laura smitherman when ettlin questions him. #localnews

nancethepants : Potts says big iPhone will kill kindle. Sad. #localnews

maryvale : Ettlin challenging @montycook on “watchdog” term; MC rattles off list of stories from @justin_fenton, @lsmitherman, @phscoop. #localnews

missjames: ha! @pottsmark: 17 years ago, “problem was you couldn’t take a cpu to the john. guess what.” (holds up iPhone) #localnews

pinkgrammar : Kindle talk! Franklin has one. I want one, too! #localnews

nancethepants : Franklin reads ny times on his kindle. #localnews

maryvale : Miller: You can’t have high def on one hand and and YouTube on the other. Really? Why not? #localnews

missjames: miller: says future is hi def, not YouTube. but welcomes all devices for broadcast delivery. #localnews

nancethepants : Oliver: kindle will add to evolution of industry, not dramatically change. Replace cost of print, push creativity. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Miller: YouTube not a threat cause viewers want HD- ?? hasn’t looked at YouTube lately- HiDef is here. #localnews

missjames: Oliver says you don’t absorb digital info same as in print. maybe you don’t, but I’m a 5-year old may. where’s youth view? #localnews

missjames: sun alum asks about pay models for journalism. #localnews

missjames: franklin: I still don’t see pay model in near future. mentions Philly’s move to pay, itunes model, cable model. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Ok. My BlackBerry hates me. Follow @ nancethepants , @ maryvale or @missjames! #localnews

jayjudge: props to @ nancethepants , @missjames, @ pinkgrammar , @ maryvale for great tweet coverage of the Merrill forum #localnews

nancethepants : iTunes format for papers? Will reporters sing the news? Traveling minstrels will save news industry! #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: “I’m highly skeptical of a pay model. … it doesn’t really work … but I’d like to see them try.” #localnews

nancethepants : Potts: niche publications can work with subscriptions, not general news orgs. // exactly!! #localnews

pinkgrammar : @ nancethepants Readers listening to the same story over and over, like their favorite songs! #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: wsj works bc they’ve been at it a long time. likely won’t work anywhere else #localnews

maryvale : Now we are having the Google argument. Whee. #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: 30 percent of traffic to papers’ sites comes from google. to turn off access would be detrimental. #localnews

nancethepants : Ex-journo critical of reader engagement. Hates anonymous comments on news sites. #localnews

maryvale : Rambling question about “pernicious” user comments and challenge to audience engagement. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Reader engagement: something to celebrate? Former journo says no, and says to get rid of anonymous comments. #localnews

missjames: ex-reporter: anonymous comments should be gone. says @pottsmark’s presentation missing watchdog journo. did he miss 1st sites? #localnews

talkingheadsTV : @ nancethepants , @missjames, @ pinkgrammar , @ maryvale who is this former journo yelling over my shoulder??#localnews

missjames: ex-reporter: is there audience for serious news? yes. online does not equal stupid. #localnews

nancethepants : Also poo-poos twitter as not being “intelligent news.” #localnews

davetroy : The lack of imagination here at this #localnews summit is awesome. No one can see how things might evolve. #shortsighted

nancethepants : Miller agrees, calls it ad hoc news, doubts demand for nontraditional news orgs in future. #localnews

maryvale : Miller doesn’t see how any startup can replace a traditional news organization. Replacement is not the idea. #localnews

missjames: miller says she doesn’t see how web sites will replace serious news. worries city will miss key info thx to diminished sun. #localnews

pinkgrammar : When you lose a newspaper, it is sad thing. 100 Web sites don’t replace a paper, Miller says. Getting fired up! #localnews

nancethepants : @ talkingheadsTV his name is skip. He also hates @readstreet. @ mykeln , @dumpkopf will remember him. #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: why do you need 4 photogs to one conf? miller: you get four slightly diff perspectives. #localnews

missjames: @montycook cuts are being made not bc they want to, they’re trying to survive. now defending audience engagement. #localnews

missjames: @montycook: “much of these changes are generational. we’re trying to walk that tightrope.” #localnews

nancethepants : @montycook defends reader engagement. Not talkboards, but connections, new sources, finding communities. // good distinction. #localnews

lisawilliams : #localnews = #whinefest? No? Yes?

pinkgrammar : No gate keepers on examiner.com Web sites. #localnews

missjames: ex examiner guy says there are no professionals on site. says lack of gatekeepers are concerning. @pottsmark says he’s not fan. #localnews

blogdiva : YES! LOL RT @ lisawilliams : #localnews = #whinefest? No? Yes?

talkingheadsTV : @lenlazarick says examiner.com has no pro journos, no gatekeepers and is likely to screw up soon. also has paltry page views. #localnews

nancethepants : Concern about lack of gatekeepers, greater possibility of lawsuits. // this is why we need more journalists, not fewer. #localnews

realityck : Wish I was at #localnews forum, but keeping up thanks to fab tweets by @ nancethepants @missjames @ pinkgrammar @ maryvale @ talkingheadsTV

missjames: moderator: lots of anxiety evident. “there’s no clear invention of the future.” journalism “like canaries in tunnel.” #localnews

missjames: miller asks @montycook if papers still profitable. (yes) she says “journalism is one thing, blogging is another.” #localnews

nancethepants : After two hours of talking, many admit they have no answers. // but any new ideas? I hope so. We need new thinking. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : Miller: more you shrink, less value you have to readers, more likely they’ll drop you. Hint hint @baltimoresun #localnews

pinkgrammar : @nytimes was a failing penny sheet in the 1800s. So why are some people dismissing Web sites of the 2000s? #localnews

maryvale : Debate over what makes someone a professional journalist. It’s a good question, but is it *the* question? #localnews

davetroy : The one thing that’s clear to me is that the current journalism *companies* are not going to be the ones to find the answer. #localnews

missjames: @pottsmark: printing press invention wasn’t novel, was 15 years later w the book.”we’re still waiting for the book.” #localnews

jonathanjulian : RT @ davetroy : The lack of imagination here at this #localnews summit is awesome. No one can see how things might evolve. #shortsighted #SAD

missjames: franklin worried about short term effect on society. even w. 300 reporters, he was worried about quality of journo. #localnews

nancethepants : Concerned about democracy in the short term, franklin says we have critical oversight role, must find new model quickly. #localnews

agahran : @ lisawilliams What is #localnews? Ongoing topic or current event?

talkingheadsTV : I’ll just say 22,000 reporters have lost their jobs in past 18 months. I hope Franklin is right and new model gets here soon #localnews

missjames: @montycook papers aren’t at death’s door yet. we’re trying new things. couldn’t always say that, he says. #localnews

missjames: Oliver: I’m not concerned with burying then sun. brand of sun lends credibility others have. sun will survive he says. #localnews

nancethepants : Oliver: praises sun brand, stamp of credibility, says new sites can’t compete. // agree with sentiment, not arrogance. #localnews

missjames: Oliver: “I get the sense this is a wake. [for the sun] I’m not there.” #localnews

muckrack “> muckrack : Now trending on Muck Rack: #localnews http://bit.ly/TVnrF (expand)

davetroy : “This was about ‘keeping alive’ a news force in Baltimore” – S. Banisky; Anything that needs ‘kept alive’ is nearly dead. #localnews

pinkgrammar : Oliver says Sun format may evolve. He gets a sense that this is like a wake, but he’s not there. Neither am I! #localnews

missjames: iPhone battery dying. luckily panel’s wrapping up. I’m out. #localnews

nancethepants : Banisky closes us out. #localnews

talkingheadsTV : RT @ muckrack Now trending on Muck Rack: #localnews http://bit.ly/TVnrF (expand)

agahran : Folks at #localnews event today — what exactly *is* that event? Link? Name at least? :-/

justinemaki : Thanks @ nancethepants , @missjames, @ pinkgrammar , @ maryvale for great tweets from the Merrill forum! #localnews

timwindsor : RT @ davetroy : The lack of imagination here at this #localnews summit is awesome. No one can see how things might evolve.

EdBennett : Fascinating updates from @ davetroy – from a conference on the future of #localnews

tgdavidson : Debate at #localnews on what makes a pro journalist. Me: Irrelevant. 1st amend. belongs to everyone, not a priesthood. (thx @ maryvale )

tgdavidson : @ agahran Event details here: http://bit.ly/yiz2v (expand) Panel featured @montycook and @pottsmark among others. #localnews

tgdavidson : And DC3s sucked vs Pullmans. RT@ davetroy : “None of the websites … can hold a candle to professional journalism.” – Jayne Miller #localnews

tgdavidson : Sorta happy wasn’t at #localnews. Love @montycook and @pottsmark – but woulda blown a vein at some of the comments, based on Tweets…

cathro : #localnews: Some are missing that increasingly sophisticated users determine content’s credibility. You don’t dictate it w/press passes.

agahran : @ talkingheadsTV Link for #localnews conference?

GusSent : The #localnews event in Baltimore, abt future of journalism, sounded interesting. I couldn’t make it, sadly. Too busy blogging!. #balttech

kbilly21 : Searched Twitter for #localnews: http://tinyurl.com/qlnef9 (expand) Whoa, 13 pages of tweets from last night’s Future of Journalism conference!

talkingheadsTV : Searched Twitter for #localnews: http://tinyurl.com/qlnef9 (expand) Whoa, 13 pages of tweets from last night’s Future of Journalism conference!

umbcinsights : RT @ talkingheadsTV : Searched Twitter for #localnews: http://tinyurl.com/qlnef9 (expand) Whoa, 13 pages of tweets from last night’s Future of Jour …