Why interim leadership makes sense

Yesterday, I left a 19-week assignment as interim news director at XETV San Diego 6. Today, the new news director is meeting the staff and starting work, a smooth, well planned, transition.

When I arrived at the station in April, I replaced a news director who was at the station for less than two years. I was presented to the staff as the interim leader who would help the station keep moving in the right direction and also assist in finding the next news director. That person would commit to three to five years, the amount of time necessary to take the striving news operation to new levels of success. About one month into the assignment the general manager asked if I would be interested in the permanent job. The difficult but correct reply was “no.”

This was my fourth interim leadership assignment and second as a TV news director. While it is good for my ego to report that each of the four times I’ve filled this role I have been offered the position on a permanent basis, that was never my goal. As an interim leader you do things a bit differently than someone in for the long haul. I hope to continue serving in interim leadership roles as part of my consulting business. So, at the risk of engaging in shameless self-promotion, I want to urge anybody who hires leaders to consider using individuals on an interim basis to serve as a bridge for organizations in transition.

Interim leadership is especially valuable for organizations overcoming serious challenges. A skilled interim leader often has to serve as an organizational healer or fixer. Sometimes it is simply a case of bringing new energy to an enterprise that may be stuck or languishing. Another advantage of hiring an interim leader is that he or she can quickly learn the organization’s personality and dynamics. This can help in recruiting the permanent leader who will follow. Most important, successful interim leadership requires substance. Knowing a business or organizational culture is critical. Interim leadership means getting to work quickly and setting the right tone from day one. That’s nearly impossible to do if you do not understand how things work.  

For me, the most gratifying part of going to work everyday is interacting with people. Although I am an early adopter of technology and recognize and appreciate the value of digital media, interacting with other human beings in face-to-face communication fulfills a specific human need. That daily social interaction is what I will miss most. When a new person comes in and engages with a positive approach and smile it serves as powerful medicine for those in the workplace who may have felt disconnected. Of course, this only works if the interim leader knows what he or she is doing. Empty suits with smiles can actually make things worse.

So thank you to my friends at XETV. I already miss being in the newsroom. And if this first blog after 19 weeks in the trenches of TV news sounds like a bit of an advertisement, I plead guilty. I would enjoy working with other stations and organizations where I can be of service.

I look forward to getting back to blogging about media, culture, communication, and inevitably a little politics around this time of year. Right now, on to projects put on hold and clients old and new. No doubt, I’ll also find a little time for tennis.  

Two very different paths

 I just saw the CNN homepage with a picture of James Holmes, who grew up in San Diego, sitting in a Denver area courtroom with his comic book red hair, looking deranged and barely there. On the other side of the page, a picture of Sally Ride in her days as a space shuttle astronaut heads the column that is her obituary. She was a physics professor at the University of California, San Diego. They are two local news makers--visually juxtaposed--representing the best and worst of what gifted people can become.

James Holmes booking photo

For now, I will not attempt to make sense out of last Friday's gunfire in a Colorado movie theater; Ross Douthat in Sunday's New York Times did about the best job of that I have seen. But I will simply say we should celebrate the life of Sally Ride and her contributions to improving the world. As for James Holmes, the pain he inflicted is beyond words. The side by side view of these two pictures struck me as not only odd but haunting--two San Diegans who will be remembered for years to come for very different reasons.

I mean no disrespect to Dr. Ride by discussing her on the same page as James Holmes. To the contrary, the point is to show that in the  dark and disturbing aftermath of Holmes' brutal acts, creative and life affirming memories--in this case, the life and work of Sally Ride--need to be celebrated and honored. Though today's news marks her death, it is her life that has, at least for a moment, pushed Holmes off the lead spot in the news.

Remembering a great teacher

I learned the other day one of my mentors died. Professor George C. Stoney was 96 years old when he left the living last week in New York City. George was my teacher at NYU. As much as anybody I’ve ever known, he dedicated himself to using film and television for positive purposes. As a teacher, filmmaker, and visionary who saw the power of visual media as a tool for community improvement, George lived a life that mattered. The lead obituary in Sunday’s New York Times explains George’s accomplishments and impact.

On a personal level, I cannot adequately express how much George meant to me. He helped me get my first job at ABC News; he believed in my abilities and me as a producer when I had personal doubts; he taught thousands of students that telling stories about real life-–not today’s so called reality TV—could make a difference and improve the world.

In the mid 1990s I contacted George and sent him a copy of a documentary KNSD-TV produced while I was news director. Not That San Diego, followed community activist Stan Hay as he explored the poorer parts of the place that calls itself “America’s Finest City.” George sent me a thank you note for sending him the documentary. His comments were mostly positive. He pointed out that perhaps the most noteworthy achievement was getting such a documentary on a commercial television station. As usual, he was right. That was the last time I had any communication with him but not the last time I saw him.

When my daughter, Amy, graduated from NYU in 2006, Professor Stoney was part of the procession. As the oldest active teacher at the university—he was 89 at the time—it was his privilege to carry the torch, NYU’s symbol. When I saw George on the big screen in Washington Square Park, I smiled. Last week, when I learned of his death, I shed a few tears.

Tom Brokaw famously called the men and women who lived through and fought in World War II, “The Greatest Generation.” George was part of that group. He served during the war and continued to serve the world in other ways the rest of his life. He will be missed. And even though he preferred to be called George, I want to publicly say thank you, Professor Stoney, for what you did for me personally and for everything you did for the rest of those whose lives you touched.

Interim News Director

I noticed that it has been a longer time than usual since anything new appeared on IrvsEyeView. So here's what's happening. For the last four months I have been serving as the interim news director at San Diego 6, XETV. After nearly 14 years doing other work, serving again as a TV news executive has been exciting, eye opening, and gratifying. We are currently searching for somebody who will take the job on a permanent basis, willing to make a three to five year commitment. I will have much more on this latest adventure once the new person is on board and I go back to organizational leadership consulting. This is now my fourth interim leadership position, an interesting vantage point to see how organizations work.

A late November reflection

If you're old enough to remember where you were 48 years ago today, you'll understand why this time of year has special meaning, much more important than the current controversies surrounding store hours for "Black Friday." In a blog three years ago, I wrote about my memories of the day President Kennedy was shot. Those thoughts reflected a feeling of challenge, but also the promise of 2008, having just elected a new president. The challenges we faced as a nation both in 1963 and 2008 were substantial and real. The challenges we face today continue to plague us.

A few months ago, I wrote about "fools on the Hill," a reference to our Congress. Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch seems to agree. His commentary, today, eloquently outlines not only the problems but a few meaningful solutions. During the course of my career in journalism I met many big time political leaders. Koch is one of the few who continues to earn my respect. I don't always agree with him--though more often I do-- but he is an honest man, a self described "sensible liberal."

Those who know me understand that I have many friends who are lifelong conservatives. I'm hoping a few "sensible conservatives" will step up and help lead with a spirit of reconciliation we so desperately need. The tone of discourse today has become so contentious and mean spirited that getting anything done becomes increasingly difficult. One of my conservative friends suggested that those on the right are waiting for the 2012 election when they believe the voters will move the country in their direction. A year is a long time in politics, but my guess is that the voters will actually take back what they did to Congress in 2010. It seems increasingly clearer each day that divided government, in today's political climate, is a prescription for the empowerment of fools. Whoever prevails a year from now, sensible liberals and conservatives have to place the good of the country ahead of narrow political expediency. We, the voters, must demand nothing less.

So, on this 48th anniversary of one of America's darkest days, I hope you will click the links above and read what Mayor Koch has to say about turning things around. And, if you haven't read my earlier reflections on November 22, 1963, take a look at that too.

All good wishes for a happy Thanksgiving and a holiday season with real joy.

 

Time for a late inning rally

Americans value freedom. It is one of the attractions of the United States, still a magnet for the oppressed of the world. Bob Dylan’s anthem, Chimes of Freedom, has a dreamlike quality that articulates an almost religious yearning for justice. President Obama would be well served to listen. His presidency is in the late innings in need of a lift if he has any chance at another four years.

One of the joys of iPod shuffle is being surprised by what pops up when you listen. I write this as I fly home to San Diego from New York. When I heard Dylan’s live version of “Chimes” on the iPod—a song I’ve always thought of as one of his greats—it struck me that the song just might help Obama articulate a 2012 version of “Hope” that the country desperately needs. But talk alone won’t do it. Which brings me to a memory of a comeback.

I attended two sessions at the US Open Tennis Championships last week. It reminded me of one of the great days in my personal sports spectator history 24 years ago. After spending a September afternoon at the 1987 US Open, I made my way across Roosevelt Avenue to Shea Stadium to catch a night game between the reigning world champion New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. I met my father, Harry, at the ballpark. We watched as the Mets quickly fell behind with no signs of life for the first five innings; then they came back big, with seven runs in the sixth, and one for the win column. Back then—and still today—the divide between the tennis crowd and the baseball fans offers a sharp contrast, visually striking as you leave the more upscale National Tennis Center for the blue collar ball park across the street. But even the vast majority of the tennis crowd are middle class.

So many “ordinary Americans” (as the politicians like to say), including baseball and tennis fans, are hurting and wondering how we got where we are today. Robert Reich offers a particularly cogent summary answering that question in Sunday’s New York Times. Professor Reich positions his analysis of hope for the middle class not with a baseball metaphor but rather as a “dream within our grasp.” And in his most recent Times column, Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman also offers a better blueprint for economic recovery than the one force fed on the president and American people by our current Congress.

The intersection of art and scholarship has been discussed and identified by many. Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman both recognized the artist’s gift for articulating cultural realities with great power and clarity often before scholars study these trends. That’s why the power of a song may just help. Many of us thought Barrack Obama was the man to make the Chimes of Freedom—including economic freedom--flash more brightly when he was elected in 2008. If he is to become a two termer he needs to do more than articulate a vision; he must make the dream a reality. That will take a late inning comeback. Unfortunately, the reality is that members of the opposition are not going to blink. Their goal is to see this president strike out. All one has to do is watch body language and pay attention to the tone of voice of Tea Party faithful when they talk about President Obama--it is personal for them with this president. The idea of a bipartisan era where the good of the country is placed above the need for one party to win has not yet arrived; this current Tea Party tinged Congress does not have an approach that will work.

 

The sooner Mr. Obama fully embraces the fact that the top priority of the opposing team is to retire his presidency, the sooner he will start saving his chance at a second term. Those who voted for him last time expect him to fight for the middle class and a brighter future. For too many, the feeling of being—in Dyaln’s words—“the luckless, the abandoned and forsaked” is real. That’s the constituency Obama must engage and not cede to the Tea Party. The only way that will happen is by winning the hearts and minds of the American people through action and results, in essence bypassing the “fools on the Hill” who are hurting so many while pretending to be part of the solution. At this point, it is all about jobs. Late inning comebacks happen all the time, especially when the fundamentals are solid and the approach is consistent with the skill of the players on the field. It's time for the president to take his swings and quit hoping for a walk.

Fools on the Hill

Too many words have been written and spoken about the consternation and constipation Congress is suffering over the debt limit deadline debacle. It is time to act and to do so in the interest of the rest of us, the people the president and others refer to as "ordinary Americans."

I am one of the lucky ones with my wife employed and a 40 year history of saving, and investing, reasonably wisely. Too many "ordinary Americans" are much worse off and suffering unnecessarily because of a stubborn minority that is focused primarily on seeing President Obama fail.

During the dark days of  President George W. Bush's second term, I told my conservative friends that I truly had no interest in seeing the president fail. The good of the country outweighed any short term political gains. I worked hard to see President Obama get elected. I doubt I will devote much time to his next campaign; he's missed too many opportunities. But, most likely, I will vote for him. He has worked to compromise and govern from the center, many say to a fault. So it is especially disheartening to watch as the Tea Party contingent in Congress holds us hostage. Those who supported their insurgency ought reconsider their votes in the face of the tyranny this minority has wrought on the rest of us. The knee jerk rejection of any new taxes--euphemistically referred to as "revenue"--is making thoughtful conservatives, and Republican stalwarts, worry whether the GOP has any grandeur left. Even President Reagan recognized the need for "revenue."

If the current polls are accurate, the majority of Americans, ordinary and otherwise, are starting to see that the hard core obstructionists in Congress, the Tea Party crowd and their enablers, are the heart of the problem. "Ordinary Americans" are starting to speak out and realize that the fools on the Hill have too many blind spots.

Musings on rock stars and a bit of wisdom

In our celebrity-obsessed culture, the most celebrated and select idols of the galaxy would have to be the rock stars. If you have any doubts, consider this anecdotal evidence. Julia Roberts—at one time the highest paid female movie star on the planet—was seated next to Paul McCartney at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards. Roberts said afterward that everybody she knew was sending her messages about the super star beside her. The "Pretty Woman," next to the former Beatle, was clearly impressed. She told reporters, “If you want attention, sit next to Paul McCartney.”

The other bit of evidence comes from Martin Scorsese’s rock doc, Shine a Light, about a Rolling Stones concert to benefit former president Bill Clinton’s foundation. Filmmaker Scorsese and politician Clinton are both superstars in their own very visible worlds. But as you watch the documentary, it becomes indisputable that these two giants are definitely “standing in shadow” of the really big stars, The Rolling Stones. To further emphasize the potent celebrity of rock stardom, referring to Bill Clinton as the “rock star president” is often used to indicate his special status as a politician and former president.

Rock stars enjoy extraordinary financial success through being creative outlaws who bring pleasure to the masses. To paraphrase another pop star, who first became famous before the age of rock and roll, “they do it their way.” So what can we learn from these highly successful, much admired, super rich celebrities we call rock stars? We know all too well about rock stars who succumb to drug problems, legal problems, money problems, relationship problems and every other human flaw or failing you can imagine. The bright lights can illuminate but also burn.

During one of the interview segments in Shine a Light, Stones guitarists Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards are both asked the same question. Who is the better guitarist? Wood responds flippantly by saying, that he is better than Richards. When asking the same question, the interviewer tells Richards what Wood said. Richards, in a moment of real wisdom, responds by saying he’s not surprised by his fellow guitarist’s boast. But it is Richards’ next statement that cuts to the heart of creative success for a range of endeavors. Richards says, something like this. “The truth is there are ten guys better than Ronnie or me. But together, we’re better than those ten guys.”

Organizational success involves more than the talent of individual team members. Talented people are a necessary ingredient. But in the words or Hall of Fame baseball manager Casey Stengel, “Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play together is another story.” It is not surprising that the most successful “rock stars,” whatever their field, know how to be part of a team. Think about it. Every truly successful star works with a team. This goes even for novelists, golfers and tennis players. There are coaches, managers, trainers, psychologists, editors, fact checkers, agents, and many others who contribute to success.

Richards figured out that Ronnie Wood made him a better guitar player and he said so with a bit of humility. Keith Richards as a source of wisdom? Maybe people will listen. After all, he’s a rock star.

Some thoughts on 9/11 nearly ten years later

Shortly after 9/11/01, I sat with a working journalist friend and a man he introduced me to who is a leader in San Diego’s Muslim community. Our Muslim acquaintance was disappointed and upset that his community did not suspect the three 9/11 hijackers who had spent many months in San Diego. He explained to us that the hijackers had been seen at mosques in San Diego. He also told us that members of San Diego’s Muslim community would have, and had on other occasions, contacted the FBI if they suspected something was not right. Perplexed, he told us something to the effect, “I can’t believe we missed these guys.”

I have often thought back to that conversation realizing how one person can change history. What if the FBI had been following the three San Diego based 9/11 hijackers? It is a difficult call to act on suspicions that may or may not be well founded. In the current climate I am guessing someone would speak up. Now that Osama bin Laden is dead, nearly ten years after 9/11, we are wisely more vigilant.

Members of a US Navy SEAL team took out bin Laden further enhancing the reputation of one of America’s elite military units. This particular unit, sometimes called SEAL Team Six (ST6), is the elite of the elite. ST6 is based in Virginia, but all Navy SEALs pass through Coronado, California. I live in Coronado, just across the bay from downtown San Diego. Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB) is home to the Naval Special Warfare Command and the training facility where every sailor and naval officer comes to earn his “Trident;” that’s the badge worn by SEALs that distinguishes their uniforms from those of aviators, submariners, and surface warfare personnel.

I drove past NAB this morning to see if anything special was going on. I saw a group of sailors running in fatigues, a sight quite normal here. There was a TV crew outside the local Starbucks, probably hoping to talk to those in uniform who stop there on their way to work. Traffic coming over the bridge from San Diego was backed up this morning. Higher security at Coronado's two naval installations was possibly the reason. Later, part of Interstate 5 leading into the bridge was shut down because of a suspected pipe bomb found nearby; the object turned out to be an innocent piece of debris. In the days and weeks ahead we will experience, once again, heightened security and vigilance in the aftermath of bin Laden’s demise.

Living where I live, I’ve had the privilege to know a few SEALs over the years (mostly retired, now). Some of my daughters’ classmates from Coronado High School have gone on to earn their Tridents and are currently serving with SEAL teams. The SEALs I have known are nothing at all like the caricatures you might expect of elite warriors. They are artists and gardening enthusiasts, usually soft spoken and humble. At least that is how they act around this civilian. My abiding respect for them is nearly limitless. To require them to do what they do, and do it so well, is the price of a civilized society. We have not yet advanced to a time when swords are ploughshares and we no longer have to study war. In the meantime, having SEALs and Rangers, Green Berets, Marines, and every other military specialist and service member available to help keep us safe, is something we should not take for granted. To those who serve: Thank you.

Tune up your crap detectors

 

When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school,

It’s a wonder I can think at all.

Opening lyrics to Kodachrome, by Paul Simon (Released in 1973)

A little background: Paul Simon attended, and graduated from, Forest Hills High School in New York City’s Borough of Queens. So did I. Simon was graduated in 1958; I graduated in 1969. When the song was released, I was finishing college. For several reasons, I have always felt a special connection to Kodachrome. Kodak stopped producing Kodachrome film about two years ago. Obviously, Kodachrome is a metaphor in Simon’s nearly 40-year-old hit. Here’s a link to the lyrics in case you are not familiar with the song.

With traditional film cameras now replaced, for most of us, by digital photography, at least one thing crosses the boundaries of the two technologies—frames. We frame pictures; we view them in frames; we edit within frames of film or frames on our iPhoto or Photoshop apps. So metaphor and frames help us see and understand the world.

Paul Simon obviously recognized the “crap (he) learned in high school” for what it was. Contrary to his next line, it is probably one reason he can think well, certainly well enough to write great songs over the last half century. Neil Postman wrote about the need for “crap detectors,” playing off a line from Ernest Hemingway. You can read Postman’s essay (I agee with about 90% of what he says) and see what you think. I’d pay particular attention to Postman’s third and fourth laws. Or, to paraphrase Stephen Stills, be cautious of mostly saying “hooray for our side.”

The world has usually benefited from well-tuned crap detection. One of the traditional roles of the news media is sorting out what is real and what is not. Now doing this we have Jon Stewart and other entertainers working to expose purveyors of pap and crap on a nightly basis. That he makes us laugh is an added benefit.

There are many working journalists—likely most—who continue to point out what is legitimate information and what is not. Unfortunately, many popular media personalities—including so-called journalists--are spewing crap at an alarming rate. My goal is not to “call out” individuals who contaminate the airwaves, news pages, and digital platforms with crap. Rather, it is to suggest all of us tune up our detectors and know the difference between the crap we learned in high school and everywhere else, and what is real knowledge, reliable information, and true wisdom.

You could take beautiful pictures with Kodachrome and you can take beautiful pictures with a digital camera. It’s not whether it is digital or film that is important; it is about how we see.

Trade-offs in the digital age

Alain Bieber (holding microphone), Photo by Werner Laschinger

 (Written for the BaKaFORUM Blog and  re-posted here.)

Those technological Faustian bargains--articulated by Neil Postman with great clarity years ago--that we enter into with each new breakthrough, came up, indirectly, in the discussion at last night’s opening session of BaKaFORUM. Panelist Alain Bieber made a forceful statement advocating openness on the web with, for example, no copyright restrictions. To emphasize his point, Alain went on to say he supports the work of Wiki Leaks, to which he received enthusiastic applause from many of those attending the session.

As a long time news producer and later an executive, I regularly fought battles to get information released so it could be made public. So, on many levels, my heart is with Alain and those who supported him by their approving response. Okay, you’ve probably figured out that I’m about to say, “but on the other hand.” And yes, that is correct. All this openness has a price. Is there such a thing as “a reasonable expectation of privacy” for us in the digital age? I hope there is, though I’m no longer certain. And aren’t there times when the Wiki Leaks mentality promotes reckless disregard for the greater good? Isn't good journalism also about being a responsible "gate-keeper?" (Yes, all these rhetorical questions are designed to provoke a dialogue.)

The work of Wiki Leaks embarrasses the powerful. Those who speak truth to power are often persecuted, prosecuted or, in some cases, even murdered. These are risks journalists have been facing since long before the personal computer became a commodity. As we say in the American idiom, “it goes with the territory.” So let’s limit our consideration (or not!) to the more typical, every day varieties of copyright infringements and disclosures of what might be considered private information.

I, and I’m certain many of you, recognized, long ago, that there is a distinction between anonymity and privacy. Clearly, in today’s world, being anonymous is nearly impossible. But what is a reasonable expectation of privacy in today’s world, both for private individuals and the public person? As you answer the question consider it in terms of the tradeoffs we are willing to accept as the technological age leads us to new frontiers. Are we entering a new chapter of “Brave New World” or shining daylight on dark places hiding in the shadows? Obviously, we are in a gray area and I suppose that was Postman’s point when he alerted us to the dual nature of technological progress. As he said, “Technology giveth and technology taketh away.”

As for protecting copyrighted material on the internet, I tend to agree with Alain,with some minimal exceptions. As the saying goes, “the net just wants to be free.” For more on that, I recommend Free: The Future of a Radical Price, by Wired Magazine’s Chris Anderson.  

Finally, it appeared to me that one of the fiction film clips screened last night touched on some of these questions. Zero Point Seven (0.7) seemed to this non-German speaker to be headed in a direction that examines the march of technology in the not so far away future, perhaps touching on these current questions.

And a final, final point… thank you to our translator who did a fine job for those of us who understand English but not German. Simultaneous translation is a bit of an art form when done so well.

New blog up at BaKaFORUM blog

As I get ready to head to Switzerland, next week. I've started posting on the BaKaFORUM Blog.

Please share your thoughts and comments here, or on the BaKaFORUM page.

Thank you.

Going back to BaKaFORUM

Hello, again, everybody. I want to let you know that I will be going to the BaKaFORUM educational media conference again this year, beginning in about two weeks. Last year I went as BaKaFORUM's blogger and I will be doing the same this year.

BaKaFORUM is a gathering of producers, teachers, executives, and other interested people who care about excellent story telling and using visual media for positive purposes. It alternates each year between Basel, Switzerland, and Karlsruhe, Germany. This year it is in Switzerland.

Here are a few links if you want to follow the blog or get caught up on last year.

This year's blog is just getting started. Here's the link.
http://bakaforumblog.blogspot.com

And here's a link to last year's blog.
http://bakaforumblog2010.wordpress.com

Please let me know what you think by way of comments on those blogs.

Commentary: Finding a different path for success

The recent failure of a San Diego news website offers the temptation to engage in a schadenfreude-laced diatribe of “I could have told you so.” But that’s never been my style. So, rather than taking any pleasure in this particular failure, my feeling is better expressed by the frustration of Marlon Brando’s character, Terry Malloy, in “On the Waterfront.” To paraphrase Malloy, “they coulda been a contender.” And that is what is so disappointing.

The failure of San Diego local news site SDNN, aka The San Diego News Network, was driven by unrealistic expectations and a bad economy. Wealthy and successful people failed to recognize their own limitations. It may be that because of their own self-image they believed that success in one field would guarantee success in another. In the case of SDNN, entrepreneurs Neil Senturia and Barbara Bry--they're married--were good at raising money and getting a respectable, though undistinguished, product on the web, but never mastered the basic economics of why people go to a local news site.

SDNN tried to succeed at local news by, in its words, creating a conversation. After a little more than a year, the news site is no longer operating. I offered my services to SDNN, early on, and also gave Bry some free advice. When SDNN had an opportunity to hire a senior executive to help run things, Bry and Senturia chose to go in a very different direction. So, that’s the full disclosure.

Beside the dynamics created by overconfidence, SDNN lacked a mastery of how to fit into the San Diego marketplace. Finding the right niche is not an easy to solve or short term problem. But it must be addressed early on. Making a better personal computer did not drive Apple’s success. Creating innovative products that were useful—and not available elsewhere—made Apple the growth stock it is today.

The other problem is usually internal. I can only speculate about SDNN's work atmosphere. But creative enterprises require motivated teams that become better with time and are driven by factors besides a paycheck. That’s where leadership comes in. Attitude and leadership should not be confused. SDNN had plenty of attitude. That is good. But it’s not enough. Solid leadership is not about charisma. It is built upon predictable behavior, a sense of service to the team, and steady focused attention on achieving clear goals.

The final piece of the puzzle involves using money wisely. Media enterprises burn through dollars rather quickly. Deciding how to spend money can never be driven by personal ego. Ego can be a useful driver in successful organizations but only if it is purposeful. To slightly alter the words of the late Hunter S. Thompson, the media business is a cruel and shallow money trench.

According to former business professor and “Good to Great” author Jim Collins, the most successful organizations and executives are built upon personal humility and professional will. As we learn from failures--even noble failures—like SDNN, it is instructive to see if Collins is right. In my experience, he’s nailed it.

Of course, this commentary is based on my own opinion, personal observation, and what could be inferred by reading SDNN over the past year. At this writing, the fact that the site's link is still active may indicate that Senturia and Bry will sell the site, re-tool and relaunch, or try again in another form. I can only guess, because when I contacted Bry to find out what happened and about future plans she politely declined to comment or engage in a conversation. In any case, I sincerely wish them well. There's no pleasure in watching the community lose a news organization.

Trying to fix the news

(To the tune of Me and Bobby McGee, by Fred Foster and Kris Kristofferson)

Ratings flat in Houston town,

Where thunder leads the rain,

Tried to find a way to “fix” the news.

Abrams sent the anchors home,

Then took off in a plane,

Took the Texas crew some time to find its way.

Feelin’ good was easy, lord, ‘cause the old ways had to change,

And nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free.

It’s no surprise that The Tribune Company’s innovation guru, Lee Abrams, is not a fan of incremental change. “Why delay,” he says, “if something hasn’t been working.” Abrams shared his thoughts with us, the other day, about the upcoming “NewsFix” format that will compete in the Houston TV market, beginning this fall. The most publicized aspect of the new format-- Tribune’s KIAH is going to ditch its anchors and lead what it calls “a revolution” in TV news.

Anybody who has read this blog over the years knows that I share the view that the current model for TV news is in need of a fix. It’s been essentially the same since the 1970s. And the low ratings at KIAH hearken to another line from Me and Bobby McGee. “Freedom’s just another word, for nothing left to lose.” So with low ratings comes a lot of freedom. But an anchorless newscast will have to have characters and personalities to connect with viewers.

Successful television, perhaps more than any other medium, is built on characters and personalities. Every successful show, from Jersey Shore to Masterpiece Theatre, is rich with characters. For traditional TV viewers, the para-social relationship with anchor teams has been the foundation of viewer loyalty and success. Viewers often relate to anchors as family members or friends. So whom will viewers relate to on the NewsFix?

That’s a strategic question that requires creative answers. Unlike the movies or radio, TV is, in Marshall McLuhan’s analysis, a cool medium. We don’t watch in a darkened theater with focused attention or while driving down the road isolated in our car. TV competes with other distractions, which is one reason it has to be so character driven to be sustainable. So, an anchorless newscast will require thoughtful casting to generate meaningful connections with viewers. And yes, that can be successfully accomplished without a traditional anchor team.

Like any creative experiment, NewFix will probably strikeout a few times before it connects. Abrams believes that’s okay. In the current environment, successful news media entries need to have a grass roots feel and attention to breaking news This is particularly important for short form hand held delivery, actually more like radio than TV. For the TV part of daily news delivery, real people telling their own stories may offer the personality connection that will be necessary to sustain viewer loyalty with the absence of anchors. In many ways it is a casting challenge. Who gets to tell her story today and is it of ongoing interest? That’s the kind of question that might be appropriate at the new news morning meeting.

The other challenge will be how to connect on big stories. TV news is often at its life saving best during disasters. Houston is hurricane and thunderstorm country. Identifying the non anchor story-tellers for major storms will require preparation and a bit of training for the real life experts—not suit and tie observers but in-the-trenches-pros—who will take the place of anchors on major stories. Each market has the sort of articulate leaders who can jump in and offer real insight for those big news marathons.

Ultimately, a successful news fix will need creative producers who can work the latest technologies, but also have real news judgment to identify interesting story lines and the people who are affected. Flash without content will wind up like a September hurricane, very noisy with a lot of damage.

In the interest of disclosure, I’m not a disinterested observer. I’d enjoy working with Abrams and his team to make the NewFix a success. But unlike Abrams, I’m more a fan of incremental change than revolutionary overthrows. We agree that if something is not working it needs to be tossed. But to me the difference between success and failure is more like the difference between a major league hitter and somebody who spends his whole career in the minor leagues. As Hall of Fame hitter Tony Gwynn once explained on a Padres broadcast, what separates big league batters from the guys who never make it past Triple A is the ability to make adjustments, often small ones. You can try it without anchors, but the news needs storytellers with real stories to make it on TV.

Still......after all these years

I have not vanished. Irv’s Eye View is alive and well, though coming out of a long hiatus. It’s just that I have taken two classes in a row and, with travel and life ongoing, posting the blog tends to slip in priority. The second of those two classes ends next week. “Research Methods” is important but tedious, so I will enjoy completing it. When this class ends, I’ll have only two left to earn an MA in organizational leadership.

For what it is worth, the degree has nothing—or at least very little—to do with why I am back in school at the advanced age of 59. Mainly, engaging in formal studies is good brain exercise and an opportunity to interact with a diverse group of classmates, even though the instruction is “online.” Being online to learn has many advantages. For a social science program, such as the one I’m in at Gonzaga University, online learning is quite appropriate and rewarding. Online learning also offers the opportunity to pace the instruction in ways that would be impossible with a traditional schedule of classroom attendance.

So what’s next? I would like to get to work. So many small-minded hiring managers don’t understand or appreciate the advantages of hiring an older worker who is eager, energetic, and motivated. That’s me, of course, who I’m talking about—the out of work older worker. But “me” is emblematic of so many others.

Back in the day (the 80s and 90s), I was an unusual--and successful and sought after--news executive. For one thing, I took people’s calls and did not hide from job seekers. In fact, I hired some great people who walked in without appointments. One is working in Tucson today, more than 20 years after walking in, unannounced, and convincing me to meet her. When I moved on to San Diego, a few years later, I remained open to non-traditional candidates who often had something unusual and compelling to offer that set them apart from the usual suspects who sought jobs, the traditional candidates. The usual suspects can get very boring. That’s part of the reason TV news is a business in decline, too many of the usual suspects doing jobs the same way they've done them for years. Adding new platforms--different media--can make a difference, but only if the new platform delivers the messages in ways that matter. Trying to do the same old TV, or print, on the web is a shell game.

For the last 10 years it’s been the Internet and entrepreneurial pursuits keeping things current and remunerative in my work world… then came 2008—ouch! Thought Obama might help fix things up, but that has not yet happened.

Now, as I seek a job myself, it is distressing to encounter the conventional lack of wisdom that results in never—or rarely—getting calls returned, mainly because I’m quite certain the hiring manager cannot see beyond, “oh, he’s an old guy, who’s been out of it for too long.”

For most news operations, I would “add value;” how’s that for dredging up an old cliché? Cliché or not, the wisdom of age, coupled with a record of success and innovation, might actually help an organization get out of its rut and stand out in the current competitive environment. Then there is that degree I’m earning. Believe it or not, the combination of practical experience over more than 30 years in the TV news business, coupled with formal education that is current in terms of exploring the current work and media environment, might just be the sort of profile that would help an organization achieve success.

Having a sense of humor about all of this helps. The very fact the Mets and Padres, the two teams I follow and root for, are doing well just a week before the All Star break, is a sign of something. This current recession/depression will eventually improve. And all you general managers and news directors will probably scramble to catch up with what was current yesterday. Maybe it might be fun to be ahead of what’s happening, for a change, and figure out what will be happening tomorrow. Or, better yet, how about setting the agenda for the future. Think about it. Read some of my older blogs. You might figure out that I can help. There now, that feels better.

Happy Independence Day!

The business of healthy eating

An old friend, who is also a former client and colleague, now works for Edelman Public Relations, the firm behind a just released global research study on attitudes about health and how these attitudes affect businesses. The "good health is good business" theme got my attention. My friend asked me to look at the data and presentations and blog about it if I found something interesting. I mention this in the interest of disclosure.

Edelman's Health Engagement Barometer confirms something that has become increasingly obvious to anybody paying attention. There are consequences for companies, and industries, that contribute to disease and bad health practices, as they find themselves exposed in a variety of media with increasing frequency and reach. Food and eating are hot topics because, like the weather, they affect everybody. Author Michael Pollan has effectively spread the word about ways to improve health through better eating with his books on food and how it is "produced" in America. Recent movies, such as The Informant, Food Inc., and Super Size Me have also shined an increasingly brighter light on corporate food and farming practices that are major contributors to child and adult obesity, along with other health problems; diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer are just one deadly trifecta fed by choosing to eat the wrong foods. So, clearly, companies face public perception consequences when they are purveyors of foods that slowly make us sick, even though they fill us up and don't cost too much.

From a business perspective, this also creates opportunities. Companies that focus on good eating and healthy choices can reap benefits. Whole Foods Markets has been a leader in this area. And renewed focus on organic farming and the humane treatment of animals can be business benefits if you follow the thinking embedded in the Edelman findings. When businesses are motivated to do the right thing because of economic incentives they usually get it done, even if it means changing the way they do business.

The real test will be how many companies adapt and start doing things differently. Some will certainly go for the short term benefit of disputing findings that work against their interests. Genetically modified produce is one of those battlegrounds. Corporate farmers depend on crops that have been genetically engineered. They tout the benefits, understate the risks, and pay little attention to consequences that hurt smaller farmers producing different crops. Ultimately consumers drive the trends. Food Inc. included a scene where buyers for Walmart were cutting deals with organic food producers. Edelman's Health Engagement Barometer serves as new evidence that good health is good business. When it comes to providing alternatives to highly processed and factory farmed foods, Whole Foods got the message long ago, Walmart more recently, but not without controversy.

The businesses that "get it" will find ways to exploit good health; that's better than exploiting our "sweet tooths" and thirst for bigger beverages. The important message is that good health, on a personal level and for the public, is a global imperative. As businesses recognize this they can contribute to a healthier future that exceeds even the benefits to their bottom lines.

The "Easter Earthquake"

The desert wildflowers were beautiful, on Easter Sunday, just a few days ago. The spot where these flowers bloomed is quite close to the epicenter of the 7+ magnitude earthquake that shook Baja and Southern California. We left the Anza-Borrego Desert flowers about one hour before the earth moved and shook everybody up. As we drove over the Coronado Bay Bridge, just before reaching what used to be a toll plaza, I felt the car behave oddly. It felt like a flat tire or a bad section of road. The shaky feeling passed quickly. When we got home and about 30 minutes after coming off the bridge, we felt a big aftershock. Obviously, that strange driving sensation was one of the effects of the quake.

Nothing broke and everyone we know is fine. Kids called to check in as did other friends and family members from around the country. After all the devastating news from Haiti and Chile a 7+ magnitude quake is serious business.

In the 25 years I have lived in California, earthquakes have happened fairly regularly. Mostly, they are minor. As a newsman, I helped cover two large, deadly, destructive quakes, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that hit the San Francisco Bay Area, and the 1994 Northridge quake that did its damage in and around Los Angeles. Sunday's quake was intense but centered in a mostly rural area, but not entirely. The border towns of Calexico, California, and Mexicali, Baja California, sit very close to the epicenter. And, as one local expert predicted on one local news outlet, there were deaths associated with the latest rumbling along the earth's fault lines. Two people have died. The latest news is that some--who can--are choosing to leave northern Baja. But things are getting back to normal despite substantial damage in certain parts of the desert border region.

Earthquakes wake us up. Unlike other destructive natural phenomena, they hit suddenly almost always with no warning. All we can do is be prepared and grateful that our First World building codes and practices provide a level of safety that mitigates the might of mother nature. And we hope the next time family and friends call, after we make the national news, we can report we are okay and share stories about desert wildflowers and that shaky feeling on the bridge, or whatever is happening then.

Back home from BaKaFORUM

(Originally posted at http://backaforumblog2010.wordpress.com)

The trip home to California went smoothly. Covering so much distance so fast is one of the technological wonders of our time. Accessible high-speed air transportation makes BaKaFORUM, and other world events possible. We often think of technology in terms of computers, cameras, and the tools of our craft. But the people at Airbus and Boeing. who design and build the planes, and the pilots and staff who get us where we are gong truly use technology for our mutual benefit.

"Mediaculture" working at BaKaFORUM

The young people documenting BaKaFORUM as part of the Mediaculture online project are the future of what we do. They inherit a world filled with tensions, problems, and real danger, but also a sense of hope. Each generation faces different challenges and opportunities. Thank you to all the teachers and supporters who make programs like "Mediaculture" possible. Enjoy their work and wish them well.

The theme of "Cooperation in a World of Cultural Diversity" continues to resonate in ways obvious and profound. To say that BaKaFORUM is a truly egalitarian event would be an overstatement, but it contains a core of truth and powerful potential. The possibilities for discovery grow when fledgling producers and aspiring story tellers interact as peers with accomplished professionals, commissioning editors, and international decision makers. Pitching ideas and finding new talent can grow into creative accomplishment through the collegiality and good feelings of working together for a few days on neutral ground. This is most obvious in terms of the proposal pitches and the seeding of ideas that happened this week at ZKM in Karlsruhe. And for those of you who may have left without a partner for your project or new funding from your pitch, the process itself can help you grow.

There's a true story about the manager of a young rock band who took his musicians for an audition to Decca Records in London, in the early 1960s. An executive heard them play but wasn't too impressed; he said they were good but nothing special and passed on signing this aspiring group. This disappointed the band and their manager did not like telling them the news. That manager's name was Brian Epstein and the group was the Beatles. The point of the story, of course, is don't be discouraged if you're turned down. The flip side is if you're commissioning or funding, look carefully at potential talent; you don't want to be the one who passes on the next Federico Felini, Ingmar Bergman, Haile Gerima, or Spike Lee.

At a gathering of mass communicators--where we spend four days on interpersonal communication--friendships develop, alliances form, and creative communities begin to be born. Existing successful cooperative arrangements, such as Nordvision, offer models to grow in a world getting smaller through instant communication and fast jets. But the divide between rich and poor remains real. Political and cultural tension and hostility threaten our survival. BaKaFORUM can not solve the problems of the world but it can help; it can serve as a conversation starter and encourage dialogue.

BaKaFORUM Staff (Photo by Werner Laschinger)

I hope each of you had a safe and pleasant trip home. Your work ahead can serve the world by serving your community. Tell the stories that matter and enrich us all. Also, kudos to the BaKaFORUM staff whose superb work made it all possible.

Thank you, too, to Werner Laschinger for taking so many fine photos; this link will allow you to view more of Werner's pictures.

New blogs up at BaKaFORUM

Hello, again, everybody. It's snowing today in Karlsruhe, Germany. Here's a picture from my short walk this morning to the conference center.

Several new blogs are up at http://bakaforumblog2010.wordpress.com

So if you are here click the link above for the latest. Comments are welcome on either site.

Thank you.