Hey look, it's a blog.
Not exactly revolutionary at this point is it? So why would Legal Times do it, other than, of course, to slavishly follow journalistic convention.
That's the cynical reason. The real reason is the opportunity this medium affords us, one that despite the wretched excess of blogs polluting the net remains very real, particularly in the areas this publication watches.
Here at Legal Times, we like to think that we've got a decent little franchise that sits at heart of the power structure in Washington, which is another way of saying that we have our own kiosk at the crossroads of the world. That's not a bad place to be.
And while Washington is frequently carpet-bombed by every journalistic organization out there, print, broadcast, and otherwise, there consistently exists an opportunity for more, particularly where law, business, and politics intersect. It is through some ever-changing permutation of those factors that everything gets done here. And there aren't that many of us who bother to keep score of those actions the way it needs to be kept.
This blog then becomes another way for us to do that—albeit in the most accessible, easy-to-digest manner possible. A small addition built on the end of our kiosk. (Hopefully, not a substandard one.) Here, we hope to translate the smaller bits of information that comes across our transom in a given week into something interesting and entertaining (famous last words) on a daily basis. And if possible, perhaps break a little news, too.
Anyone who has observed the persistent hand-wringing in this industry during the last several years over declining revenues, shrinking ad bases, dwindling readers, et al, won't be surprised that we, too, are seeking a way to harmonize our print and web-based offerings. This is also another step toward that. It's my belief that the only way to embrace the web is to create a different model for it consistent with the habits of its consumers, but to also cling (perhaps stubbornly) to the rewards that can be found in a long, well-reported and well-written story on a printed page. As an industry, our only choice, really, is to try and give the readers everything. Tougher for us, but good for the readers.
Our other hope is that with these posts, you might get to know the people who make up this publication in a way that will never come through in print. We have an informed, intelligent, eclectic group of journalists who undoubtedly will have something to say that extends beyond the boundaries of our coverage. Even better, it's possible this could become the best of journalistic endeavors, an interactive community where our readers can contribute as much as our writers. Hey, everyone can have a dream.
Comments