Jonathan Stark - More Local News

This interview is part of the Future of Journalism interview series.

Interview with Jonathan Stark , a business consultant who specializes in web applications for creative professionals. He is the author of "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker," is a regular speaker at the FileMaker Developers Conference, and is on the editorial board of FileMaker Advisor magazine.

Newspapers are in a very interesting position right now. In terms of revenue, the newspaper industry has been in decline for at least a decade. Some would assert that newspapers are suffering because of the Internet, but I would argue that saying so is to miss the point. In fact, I would like to offer a two-word solution to the financial woes of our ink-stained friends: "local news."

The Internet is merely a delivery mechanism. Newspapers are also a delivery mechanism, but they are much more. Newspapers have real roots in the communities that they serve. They have history, tradition, and personal relationships. In some cases, they are a source of local pride. These are powerful forces that, if capitalized upon, could get the industry back on track. If newspapers are willing to let go of their print-based history, invest in their writers, embrace technology, and dedicate themselves to being THE source for local news, they will have readers for as long as people can read.

As a consultant, I have worked with many newspapers and I know that the industry is technophobic. Many are still in the stone age in terms of IT systems and data management. These papers must retool for the new millennium if they want to remain viable.