Final Project:: Adapt and Innovate

After jumping through a few technical hoops (when are there not technical hoops), I think I've successfully posted the pdfs to lesliejwilkinson.googlepages.com, the web pages I built last semester for JOMC 710. Which works out well, in terms of linking and connecting all of my class projects for this program. This paper completes my requirements for completion of the certificate program. It's been a great three semesters of learning. Congratulations to all my fellow graduates and best wishes for continued success to the returning students!

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"Adapt and Innovate: Newspapers succeeding in the online world."
PDF versions available at the above link.

Abstract: My final project in the certificate program, I've come back to explore and write about what Adapt or Die has meant to the newspaper industry in the past several years.

Adapt or die. That phrase would jolt the newspaper industry into action, pushing it to put more energy and content online. What have newspapers done to change the mindset and get things moving? Who’s getting it right? Who’s winning the battle to beat circulation and make money on the web?

Newspapers heard the call to innovate over the past couple of years: the Newspaper Next survey woke many people up and brought to light the notion that to win the battle of declining print circulation and profits meant innovators had to come out of the corners of the newsroom. It’s very much seemed as if a button was pushed and newsrooms sprang into action. Suddenly, newsrooms around the country were exploring blogs, video and interactive graphics.

This paper draws heavily on research that has been conducted over the course of the entire Graduate Certificate in Communication and Technology program, including research conducted specifically for previous classes. This paper is the culmination of my work in the program. I seek not to write threatening “Evolve or Die” paper that has permeated the internet the past couple of years. Instead, I will examine how newspaper websites are exploring new ways to entertain and keep readers.