Media dies and America lies - Calling bullshit on popular opinion

Think I’m off base? Try this on for size: In May the average American spent 127 hours watching TV. That comes down to just over 4 hours a day. Add on the fact that Americans spent an added 24 hours on the net, and the daily consumption rises to nearly 5 hours. Don’t have time to read? Bullshit.

Last week the LA Times announced 250 layoffs. The reason? Declining revenues, steep costs, and the fact that readers said they “don’t have time to read the paper.” The publisher bit, and since it’s all about the bottom line succumbed to the pressure from stockholders.

We all know the story by now: newspapers are dieing, magazines are floundering, and the Internet is a wild west with copyright infringement flying just as fast as Billy the Kid’s gun. And yet is it less about time and more about being lazy that has pushed us into the ideology that we just can’t afford to read the news.

An interesting article the other day suggested that reporters and literary types are the only ones who really care about reading an actual story. The rest of the population merely wants facts. Think Twitter–micro blogging–consisting of a few sentences instead of long laborious paragraphs.

“Obama beats Hillary to claim Democratic nomination.”

“Obama and Hillary unite in Unity. Every under-thirty-year-old rolls their eyes and grimaces with embarrassment for the wag-the-dog stunt.”

“Newspapers are dieing, while publishers continue to try old media tactics.”

Sound ridiculous? Sure they are just headlines, but isn’t that a majority of the news these days?

So do I have an answer? No, not necessarily, but I do have some ideas.

- When Newpapers produce video, produce strong video. Something better than a high school punk with YouTube. Look at the NYT’s for examples, but even then their videos are mostly all the same. Break the mold, take risks, and understand that editing is just as much a craft as writing.

- Do not be afraid to try new things and fail. I know it costs money, but those who take risks online will ultimately succeed. For instance, social networking brought college kids together, while journalists, businessmen, and others were skeptical. By the time Facebook hit the “money making generation,” it was being run by young kids posting bong hits. Newspapers had a unique platform to reach hundreds of young readers on their turf, and yet nobody aggressively went after the market.

- Educate your staff. There has never been such a divide in newsrooms as there is today. Twentysomethings are ingrained in RSS feeds, social networks, YouTube, digital video cameras and editing. Sure the generation has a ton to learn, but the hesitancy to “figure everything out,” just isn’t there. Take senior editors and pair them with younger staffers. Create a two-way mentorship that elevates both parties skill sets. Sure some will have to swallow their pride, but a strong staff, a staff willing to weather such times, will do just this–put themselves out there and agree to learn.

Finally, stop running and embrace the fact that change is required. Then and only then will we see ‘real’ change on a mass market level. And don’t forget, America has time! At least 5 hours a day and it’s up for grabs.

Heaven on Earth - Photos From Colorado

On a weekend when I really should have been home, I spent a few days up in Indian Peaks Wilderness trolling around, exploring, and finding out just how fast an afternoon thunderstorm can roll in. Thursday night found my coworker Mark Harrison, his friend, and me heading up the fourth of july trailhead for a quick night of camping. The sun broke just as we crested the tree line, providing striking views and colors. It was humbling to say the least.

A few days later I returned to climb South Arapahoe Peak and explore the glacier trail. Within minutes of the first thunderclap, we were in the thick of a vicious storm pouring hail and rain down like the earth was going to shrivel-up out of thirst.

The best part? Exploring the wilderness with my friends, taking time to reflect on life’s next challenges, and just plain getting away from it all.

(Photos span the two trips, and include both Mark and my roommate Scott)

Indian Peaks Wilderness - Heart Lake Hike

Whoever said global warming is melting the snow must be living under a rock. Went up to Indian Peaks Wilderness this past weekend and hiked to Heart Lake. The trail, well above 10,500 feet was packed with snow, but once we hit the meadows it was flowers and green grass.

Rush proves genius - LA Times bleeds

The Los Angeles Times must be pissed. On the same day they announce 250 layoffs—150 coming from the newsroom itself—Rush Limbaugh, the loudmouthed-pill-popping-sun-of-a-gun radio personality announced an extension of his already plush contract. The payoff? 400 million over eight years.

Adding insult to injury, the LA Times also announced they would be restructuring the paper cutting 15 percent of pages by the fall.

In today’s Associated Press story, editor Russ Stanton was quoted saying: “The number one reason that people cancel the L.A. Times is, they tell us, they don’t have enough time to read the paper that we give them every day. We’re going to be more picky about the stories we choose to write long and a lot more picky about the ones we write shorter.

Thank God Britney and Paris have been good girls lately. Five hundred words on Britney’s underwear would need to be cut, eliminating crucial details including color and style.

It is no secret that the LA Times is a fat newspaper. Some critics have pointed out that selected reporters on payroll have not written a story in years. The newsroom is full of glut and excess. But that aside, the staggering cuts come in a time when news is equivalent to money and not necessarily quality, which means only one thing: Less Iraq, more Hollywood.

One hell of a year… Backpacker and Bicycling Clips

One year ago today I became unemployed with the goal of becoming an adventure travel writer. Now, a year later, I’m unemployed again. The difference? Five thousand miles, twenty eight states, a Colorado ID, and nine months at Backpacker Magazine.

I suspect I will be writing about my internship a lot, but for now I just want to point to most of the deliverables and takeaways from my time at Backpacker and Bicycling.

GPS-supported Conent

• Appalachian Trail GPS-Supported Map Fact checked, coedited and coproduced GPS-supported trail maps for the AT. Includes: 1,200+ miles of trail, thousands of waypoints, hundreds of photos, and 120+ individual trips.
• Fruita Mountain Biking - In typical Backpacker style, the map team headed to Fruita for a weekend of mountain biking and team building. In the process we also GPSed the trip, shot video and photos, and came back to put it all together.

Backpacker Magazine Clips

• Quick Fix: Badlands National Park - June 08
  
• Quick Fix: Great Smoky Mountain National Park - May 08
  
• Trip Finder: Low Rain Hikes - April 08
• Hike of the Month: Mt Whorl - April 08
• National Parks Package: Yosemite National Park - July/August 08
  

Google Earth - When I arrived at Backpacker, the words “Google Earth” carried little weight. After scoping out GE and how it enabled Backpacker readers to plan, execute, and share potential trips, I went to map editor Kris Wagner and suggested Backpacker begin using the program. With little resistance, Backpacker editors jumped on board constantly being wowed with the program and using it in both print and online stories.

• Google Earth June 08 Cover - I worked directly with editor and chief Jon Dorn, and design director Matthew Bates, to conceptualize and execute June’s digital cover shot. I was also responsible for working directly with Google to approve the cover, and secure copyright permissions from the image providers.

• Google Earth Flyover Videos - For the July/August National Parks Package, I worked directly with web editor Anthony Cerretani, senior editor Tracy Ross, and map editor Kris Wagner, to conceptualize and coproduce seven national park flyovers. I was ultimately responsible for recording the Google Earth Flyovers.
• Smoky Mountains NP flyover
• Yosemite NP flyover
• Denali NP flyover
• Grand Canyon NP flyover
• Yellowstone NP flyover
• Olympic NP flyover
• Glacier NP flyove

• iHike Package June 08 - Worked directly with editors to include Google Earth tips and screenshots in the June iHike package. Also worked directly with Google to approve digital images.

Tour de France Video Project - Two months ago my editor decided to send assistant editor Mark Harrison to France. The goal was to preview five of the tour’s stages in ways previously not being done. After two weeks of storyboarding, video lessons, and mayhem, Mark flew abroad. The end result was four high-quality videos on Bicycling.com, incorporating GPS-supported content, Google Earth, flash graphics and Getty Images.

• Stage 4
• Stage 6
• Stage 16
• Stage 17

New Media Feature Package - During the month of April I worked on a new media feature package. The topic, hiking blind, was pulled apart into interactive GPS content, a podcast, two videos and a written component.

• Video 1 - Backpacking Blind
• Video 2 - Erik Weihenmayer discusses what it’s like to be blind
• Podcast - (will be added soon)
• GPS-supported hike

Bicycling Magazine Clips

• Perfect Day: Las Vegas (On newsstand August 1)
• GPS-supported rides at bicycling.com/lasvegas (August 1)

Backpacker.com Blog

• Google Upgrades Earth
• Google Adds Contour Lines
• I Present To You The Universe
  

Backpacker Magazine PR - Taking the experience from my previous PR job, I worked with senior editors and Backpacker’s PR team to write and promote the launching of Backpacker.com, and five tips on how to get outside more.

• Backpacker Launches New Website
• Backpacker Teams With Google Earth
• Five Ways To Enjoy Your Summer More

Of course there is also all the stuff from my “actual job,” which was managing California, Nevada, and Hawaii for backpacker.com/destinations.

As Good As It Gets: Riding Trail Ridge Road

Like an idiot I forgot a camera for one of the most beautiful road rides I’ve ever done. Hell, it would also be one of the most beautiful drives too, that is if you’re into destroying the planet and all.

In the end we topped out with just shy of 50 miles of riding, 7,000 feet of elevation gain, and a lung-taxing 12,000+ pass. The road, a spectacular cross-country traverse of Rocky Mountain National Park, rewarded us with views of countless 13,000 peaks scraping the stratosphere.

The group, four from Backpacker and a smattering of friends, was the perfect combination of fast-as-shit racers, and slower take-our-time cyclists. Since I forgot the camera I’ve put in the ride stats from my GPS.

The best part? Probably sitting in Lyons drinking a beer, basking in the sun and eating a well-deserved BBQ sandwich with some of the most standup folks I know.

Elevation Profile:

Ride Stats:

Less than 24 hours until bliss…I think…

Sitting in the office today my editor asked me what I was doing this weekend. Stupidly I said not much. Hence tomorrow; the first Trail Ridge Road ride of the season. Trail Ridge Road, a spectacular mountain climb through Rocky Mountain Park, is everything Colorado: Lung-busting elevation (over 12,000 feet), hundred-mile views and tight two-lane, no-shoulder riding. In other words, just another Saturday here in Boulder…

Boulder Dogs

When I first came to Boulder the prairie dog population baffled me.

“Why don’t the little kids round off the population with some bb gun practice?” I asked.

The dirty looks were too many to count. (Apparently, the world which I grew up in–bb guns, little supervision and death defying stunts–did not exist outside the bubble of the San Lorenzo Valley) So after running, biking, hiking, climbing and walking past these little guys for eight months I decided it was time to shoot a few. (Boulder approved of course)

Back on the horse…

Holy crap! I know, this can’t be. A new post. Seriously what happened? No clue really; just think I got a bit busy.

I will spare you with the details, they are fairly mundane, but I can say it’s been quite the journey. So this is it, the first of hopefully more posts. Needed to get it up here to start again, so thanks all for your encouragement and emails to get off my lazy ass and write something.

-Tim

Kill me now – Giants on pace to score ten runs by end of season

There is nothing worse than having a coworker walk into the break room wearing a Dodger hat and know you can’t give him crap because your Giants suck. Today’s opener was lackluster to say the least.

I’ll spare you from the details, but let’s just say it’s looking to be a long year. The sad thing? I love the team so much I’ll still listen to just about every game and drool over basement stats.

Baseball is back folks, and it couldn’t be a better day.