From the Northwest Region: how to best balance new resource reality May 12, 2010
Making tough decisions in tough times and the offensive struggles of the Seattle Mariners were among the topics of discussion at the APSE Northwest Regional meeting held May 3 in Tacoma.
Thirty-six sports journalists from Washington, Oregon and Montana attended the one-day gathering at the Tacoma News Tribune.
In sessions designed to help editors deal with dwindling staffs and shrinking newsholes, participants debated the proper balance of local and national news, and how to respond to challenges presented by the increasing popularity of non-traditional sports such as mixed martial arts and lacrosse.
Also discussed was the value — or lack thereof — of maintaining a strong prep presence.
The editors agreed on one thing: All have had to make difficult decisions in recent years about what information to reduce or eliminate from their sections.
“I don’t think anybody can do the minutiae like we use to,” said Darrin Beene of the Tacoma News Tribune.
Associated Press regional sports editor Ed Montes attended the meeting to explain the organization’s new regional-desk format. He was joined by Northwest bureau chief Nancy Trott and Seattle-based sports writers Gregg Bell and Tim Booth.
Montes said the four regional desks are designed to help AP better stay in touch with its members.
“Editors who are closer to the news are making decisions,” said Montes, whose regional desk in Phoenix, Ariz., opened last June. “We’re also closer to the member editors who have questions.”
Trott, Bell and Booth answered questions about regional story and photo decisions, including the way state high school tournaments are covered and the deadline schedule for AP writers covering late games.
The highlighted speaker of the day was Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik. In a Q&A session, Zduriencik said he hoped to make a trade to beef up the baseball team’s punchless offense but, so far, could find no takers.
“I’ve made a tremendous amount of phone calls,” Zduriencik said. “I continue to make phone calls. I’ve made several phone calls in the last three or four days. But it’s like hunting season. It’s not hunting season right now. Nobody’s selling.”
Zduriencik said he’s been a newspaper reader since his days as youngster growing up in Pittsburgh. Asked to evaluate the coverage of the Mariners, Zduriencik had no complaints, even during the team’s recent slump, which saw the Mariners stumble into the AL West basement. “Everything you write, I agree with,” he said.
The final panel discussion of the day was entitled “Beyond Blogging.” It featured beat writers Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune and Larry Stone of the Seattle Times explaining how new media such as Twitter, live chats and game blogs, have impacted their jobs, both for better and for worse.
The meeting marked the end of Seattle Times sports editor Don Shelton’s two-year stint as Northwest regional chairman. He was succeeded by vice chairman Kevin Brown of the Everett (Wash.) Daily Herald. Jerrel Swenning of the Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic is the new vice chairman.
Thirty-six sports journalists from Washington, Oregon and Montana attended the one-day gathering at the Tacoma News Tribune.
In sessions designed to help editors deal with dwindling staffs and shrinking newsholes, participants debated the proper balance of local and national news, and how to respond to challenges presented by the increasing popularity of non-traditional sports such as mixed martial arts and lacrosse.
Also discussed was the value — or lack thereof — of maintaining a strong prep presence.
The editors agreed on one thing: All have had to make difficult decisions in recent years about what information to reduce or eliminate from their sections.
“I don’t think anybody can do the minutiae like we use to,” said Darrin Beene of the Tacoma News Tribune.
Associated Press regional sports editor Ed Montes attended the meeting to explain the organization’s new regional-desk format. He was joined by Northwest bureau chief Nancy Trott and Seattle-based sports writers Gregg Bell and Tim Booth.
Montes said the four regional desks are designed to help AP better stay in touch with its members.
“Editors who are closer to the news are making decisions,” said Montes, whose regional desk in Phoenix, Ariz., opened last June. “We’re also closer to the member editors who have questions.”
Trott, Bell and Booth answered questions about regional story and photo decisions, including the way state high school tournaments are covered and the deadline schedule for AP writers covering late games.
The highlighted speaker of the day was Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik. In a Q&A session, Zduriencik said he hoped to make a trade to beef up the baseball team’s punchless offense but, so far, could find no takers.
“I’ve made a tremendous amount of phone calls,” Zduriencik said. “I continue to make phone calls. I’ve made several phone calls in the last three or four days. But it’s like hunting season. It’s not hunting season right now. Nobody’s selling.”
Zduriencik said he’s been a newspaper reader since his days as youngster growing up in Pittsburgh. Asked to evaluate the coverage of the Mariners, Zduriencik had no complaints, even during the team’s recent slump, which saw the Mariners stumble into the AL West basement. “Everything you write, I agree with,” he said.
The final panel discussion of the day was entitled “Beyond Blogging.” It featured beat writers Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune and Larry Stone of the Seattle Times explaining how new media such as Twitter, live chats and game blogs, have impacted their jobs, both for better and for worse.
The meeting marked the end of Seattle Times sports editor Don Shelton’s two-year stint as Northwest regional chairman. He was succeeded by vice chairman Kevin Brown of the Everett (Wash.) Daily Herald. Jerrel Swenning of the Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic is the new vice chairman.
