My Day With Jeff Jarvis…

…and a lot of other people…

I am sure we can find some way to work together….

Yesterday, I spent the entire day with Jeff Jarvis and about 200 of his closest friends.

It was the second annual New Business Models for News Summit at CUNY. A gathering of some of the biggest names in the business, we spent the day hearing some very interesting ideas about where journalism and the digital revolution are heading.

You can see the videos at the link above, and I have to hand it to Jarvis and CUNY for transcending the usual pap that you get at these things.

First, Jarvis has just finished his new book, What Would Google Do?, (which he pimpled mercilessly, but why not?) I have already ordered my advance copy! The point of the book, and of the conference, was forward looking, (as opposed to the sturm und drang ‘the world is coming to an end’ speeches I normally hear (and give). This one was about solutions.

As a result, the cast of characters was new. (at least to me).

Among the standouts:

-Ed Roussel, Digital Director of The Telegraph (UK) who gave a stellar presentation on what the Telegraph is doing and why.

-Charlie Sennott – Former foreign correspondent for The Globe (Boston) who is striking out on his own to recover foreign journalism from a newspaper world that no longer cares.

-Tom Evslin – founder of ITXC, who is not a journalist but an engineer who developed, among other things, VoIP and apparently disconnected ATT from charging per minute rates for web use (remember that?). It was fascinating to get an engineer’s perspective on how to build networks and why they work or fail.

We spent the afternoon in Aspen-like groups, grappling with an assignment. I was in the “new structures for newsrooms” which was chaired by Andrew Heyward, former President of CBS News. He was remarkably insightful and plugged into the new media revolution. Sorry he is not running CBS now. It would help.

I hope we can get a few of these folks to make the trip to Brussels for DNA2009. March 4-5, Brussels, Belgium. sign up now (shameless self-promotion).

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 30 years, Michael Rosenblum has been on the cutting edge of the digital video journalism revolution. During this time, he has lead a drive for video literacy, and the complete rethinking of how television is made and controlled. His work has included: The complete transitioning of The BBC's national network (UK) to a VJ-driven model, starting in 2002. The complete conversion of The Voice of America, the United State's Government's broadcasting agency, (and the largest broadcaster in the world), from short wave radio to television broadcasting and webcasting using the VJ paradigm (1998-present). The construction of NYT Television, a New York Times Company, and the largest producer of non-fiction television in the US. Rosenblum was both the founder and President of NYT TV, (all based on this paradigm (1996-1998). The President and Founder of Video News International, a global VJ-driven newsgathering company, with more than 100 journalists around the world. (1993-1996). Other clients include Spectrum News, Verizon and CBS News.

1 Comment
  • Digidave October 28, 2008

    It was great to have you in attendance again Michael. You bring a lot of energy to the day – so it wouldn’t have been a success without you.

    I would love to do a follow up interview with you for the NewsInnovation.com blog. Just let me know.

    Best
    David