So much for heeding warnings, spot on as they may be – SCN Encourager
The 1993 copy Columbia Journalism Review gathering dust in my basement also offered a word of caution
There was more than just the SpiderMachine.
But didn’t you find the SpiderMachine on the back cover inspiring?
How could you not?
As “crowdsourced” by a 5th grade class in NYC to spotlight the future of communications for a contest, the conceptual design was impressive.
Practically prophetic.
But it wasn’t the only sneak peek into the future found in the magazine, however.
One of the CJR’s editors issued this short, but thoughtful challenge.
On page 49, I believe.
(So take that, you fact checkers!)
It was in a memo to fellow journalists – which included a fair number of our MSPRA and NSPRA colleagues who would later move on to become top tier school communicators! (And you former journalists know who you are!)
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July/August 1993
Re: the New Information Industry
Rapid change is the order of the day.
We’ll be tested and we must adapt.
I’d suggest this course.
Be knowledgeable on new technologies, new governmental policies, and about the new economics of the new information age.
We need to be conversant with the new players and be ready to compete, as these new players may beat out our current traditional employers.
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You caught the significance of that competition reference, didn’t you?
In 1993 journalists and educators alike were about to enter the newly defined marketplaces of choice and competition and clearly, both the resulting opportunities and all of the unintended consequences have been incredible for you and me to still be a part of.
Sorry to start waxing philosophic on you.
Cindy just wanted our basement cleaned up on Saturday.
Not see me take more than an hour fussing about with an old magazine.
Oh well, you know what they say about “opposites attracting.”
Cindy likes to purge and pitch.
I prefer to re-order and re-shelve.
What can I say?
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