Director's Notes: Basics and Changes

• Four Pillars of News-Gathering. Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers Editor Mark Tomasik says the news philosophy is built upon a solid foundation of:

1. Meeting deadlines, which today means 24/7 with a focus on immediacy and interaction.
2. Watchdog journalism, which is a commitment to holding accountable officials and organizations that have an impact on the lives of local residents.
3. Grassroots, which focuses on inclusion by providing an inter-active content platform for diverse audiences.
4. Data, which provides the audience with local and regional information.  The data is high utility, meaning it's easy to find and use.

• Uncle Sam Subsidy Skeptics. News executives have questions galore about the prospect of government financing for media companies. Many of those surveyed by Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism (in partnership with the American Society of News Editors and the Radio Television Digital News Association) sense change for the better in their newsrooms today.  However, major concerns were expressed by the 353 responding news execs. For example, fewer than half are confident their operations will survive another 10 years unless there are significant new revenues streams.  But there is major resistance to handouts from the government or from groups that engage in advocacy.

• Quote of the Week: "The best use of a journal is to print the largest practical amount of important truth, truth which tends to make mankind wiser, and thus happier." -Horace Greeley