BALTIMORE, Md. – The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland held a symposium on June 2 to discuss what happens to local news if the major metropolitan daily newspaper shuts down, and what news options might takes its place.

Short answer: nobody knows.

The 2009 Abell Symposium, entitled “The End of Local News? If Communities Lose Newspapers, Who Will Fill the Void?”, was held in Westminster Hall on the University of Maryland Baltimore campus. More than 90 journalists and Baltimore community members attended the event.

The evening’s panelists included:

• Monty Cook, editor, The Baltimore Sun.
• Mark Potts, former reporter for the Chicago Tribune and Washington Post, cofounder of WashingtonPost.com and proponent of hyperlocal, user-generated news sites.
• Jayne Miller, chief investigative reporter, WBAL-TV.
• John J. Oliver Jr., publisher, The Afro-American.
• Timothy A. Franklin, Louis A.Weil, Jr. Endowed Chair, Indiana University School of Journalism, former editor, The Baltimore Sun.

Merrill College Dean Kevin Klose, former president of National Public Radio and long-time broadcast executive and print journalist, moderated the evening. The symposium is a program of the Merrill College’s Abell Professor in Baltimore Journalism, now held by former Baltimore newswoman Sandy Banisky.

 
Twitter Stream from the Event – #localnews »
from: Livetweeting “The End of Local News?” by timwindsor on June 4, 2009

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 …