PRSA Colorado Newsline

Jane Dvorak, APR, JKD & Company, provides perspective on last week’s luncheon on changes in Denver’s media landscape from the recent PRSA Colorado luncheon.

PRSA’s latest luncheon posed some interesting communication challenges for the PR pros in the market to ponder.  Nearly 100 people attended the discussion facilitated by Sharon Linhart, APR, Linhart Public Relations, on ways we need to adjust our story pitching and communication tools, while still maintaining the quality of journalism we have come to revere over the decades.  It came to light, in some cases; we revere our comics and puzzles more than the news.  Jeanette Chavez, managing editor of The Denver Post, noted it was critical for the paper to carry over items like the comics and puzzles, which have generated plenty of comments from readers, as Denver moved to a one-paper town.

The diverse panel, featuring representatives from the The Denver Post, Examiner.com, InDenverTimes.com and the Colorado Associated Press, discussed how traditional journalists have now adjusted their tactics and style to the emerging online social media.  As content and information providers in this mix of media, PR practitioners are poised to aid in the rewriting of the media model along with journalists molding to new forms of news delivery.

In this evolving shift in our media, our ability to help our clients and employers serve as the society “watchdogs” is intriguing and valued by the media.  The panel echoed this role whether in print or online.  The Associated Press expects to see a 10 percent decrease in staff.  InDenverTimes has a skeleton reporting crew.  The Denver Post, while still offering beat reporters, has been forced to broaden the scope for some staff members.  As PR pros we can fill this void with valuable local information on business, budget compliance and use of stimulus dollars.
Continue reading Denver’s New Media Landscape means a new look at an old friend – journalism.