I can think of few jobs as exciting or as important (to me) as being editor of a newspaper. I was so delighted to get the job as editor of The Gazette that it seems weird to give it up. Voluntarily, even.
My wife, Mimi, knows how much I loved being editor. My colleague Mary Sharp, The Gazette’s longtime Iowa Editor, knows what the title means to a career journalist. I had nearly identical conversations recently with each of them. “But that’s what you came here to do,” each of them told me, in nearly identical words, in separate conversations about the fact that I would be relinquishing that title.
No, I responded. I didn’t come here to edit the Gazette. I came here to help transform this organization and the newspaper business. I can do that better by leaving behind the entrenched titles, structures and thinking of a business that I love. So now I take on a new job and a new title: Information Content Conductor.
As I have reported before in this blog, Gazette Communications is splitting content creation from the making of products. Lyle Muller, the new Gazette editor, and I will explain this change further in the coming weeks in our columns and blogs.
With Mary’s assistance, I will lead an organization that will seek new ways to develop content that is richer, deeper and more meaningful than is allowed by the limitations of our products. Lyle and other colleagues will work to continue serving our community with excellent products using content from my organization and others.
We will share details as we fill positions in both of these new organizations and finish realigning our company in the coming weeks.
But let me tell you this much about our plans: My new title sounds odd at first (yes, to this old editor, too), but each word tells you something about what we are doing:
Information. We will continue providing factual, independent news and information for the community. While the tasks, presentation and means of delivery will change, integrity and truth will remain the core of everything we do.
Content. The kind of content we provided in the newspaper was pretty simple when I started my journalism career in 1971: stories, columns, editorials, lists and photographs. Graphics became a big deal in the 1980s. The future of content is far more diverse: all that as well as databases, videos, audio, slideshows, text messages, blogs, tweets, interactive multimedia, comments, questions, live chats, interactive maps and more that we can’t yet imagine.
Conductor. As much as I have loved the title editor, it doesn’t describe what I will be doing. Maybe the title will change someday, because I know the work will change as this organization and my job evolve. But for now, conductor seems the most accurate term. As a musical conductor does, I will be orchestrating the work of creative people. As a railroad conductor does, I will interact with the public to provide an orderly, satisfying experience. As an electrical conductor does, I need to carry energy in the staff and the community.
I wish that we were launching this new venture in a thriving economy with a larger staff. But the economic challenges that forced us to reduce our staff this week underscore the necessity of transformation.
Steve, Congratulations on your new title and continued success to all at the Gazette. My heart goes out to those that have been displaced from their positions. Times are tough but the Gazette has been around for many years and the forms of delivering of news information have to change with time.
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How can you look in a mirror, or read your own blog posts, without laughing? Really and truly? All aboard the information train. Choo choo!
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Thanks to BabyFroggee for those kind words. Thanks also to Jim for your sarcasm, and I mean that truly. If everyone understood what we were doing, we wouldn’t be making the deep and fundamental change that our situation requires. I look forward to winning you over.
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I should add that while I approve most comments to this blog, including many that are critical of me and my company, I did not approve a couple yesterday. They were either mean-spirited or inaccurate or both. I will strive to provide only accurate information in this blog, whether from myself or in the comments. And I won’t let the discussion on this blog degenerate into mean-spirited personal attacks.
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I will miss the Gazette sports section — once the best in the state.
Best wishers to past and present Gazette staffers.
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Thanks for the best wishes, Kyle. We plan to continue putting out an outstanding sports section.
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Sorry the sarcasm as a bit harsh. But I know some of the people let go yesterday — people who’ve been at the company longer than you and have done damn fine work.
It sort of felt ridiculous to hear about your new job (and in such new-media-agey terms) the same day others were let go.
I’m not sure how the Gazette (which is still profitable for the Hladkys) plans to keep producing all this cutting edge material when they’re getting rid of the best resource they have.
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Doesn’t this really come down to a round of layoffs to help fund yet another layer of bureaucracy? How does taking people off the streets and adding yet another corner office help you to deliver solid journalism?
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I welcome the skepticism as well as the sarcasm. We are not creating another layer of bureaucracy. Answer to Steve’s first question is no. Answer to the second question is that solid journalism is a matter of performance, not promise, so I will let our performance over time answer that question.
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I wish you well in your new position! It has got to be hard to make the changes and also to let people go from their work with you.
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I understand that you feel it’s a private matter, but in reality, not letting your readers know that the writers/reporters/photographers they’ve enjoyed will no longer be there is a dis=service to both your readers and the employees who are leaving. If I am looking for a blog I’ve been following, or waiting for a story by a particular write, and I can’t find it…
It’s seems only fair to somehow let your readers know who’s leaving, rather than to leave everyone dangling wondering what happened to the column, or blog, or whatever.
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You make a valid point, Deb. A big part of me agrees. When I was fired in 1992, I was quite open about it and didn’t use euphemisms (the publisher had used one, can’t remember what). I confirmed to AP that I was fired and my wife and kids felt some sting when the local TV station reported that I had been fired.
But as the person on the other end, I do respect the privacy of the employees whose jobs we eliminated this week (and maybe they would say I just used a euphemism; I’m sure they feel like they were fired, but we truly will not have those jobs any more). We reported the reduction in our staff openly. If you notice a favorite blog missing or a a particular writer who isn’t writing for us any more, we’re pretty sure you can connect the dots.
Two of the four primary principles of journalism ethics are “report the truth” and “minimize harm.” They often are in conflict. The first one argues for naming names and we do that in lots of stories. The second one argues for some compassion and not always naming names. We didn’t name all the employees who lost their jobs at other businesses in town. And I feel comfortable not naming the employees who lost jobs here this week. I’ll side with “minimize harm” in this case.
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Steve,
I have sent an email under separate cover. Hold on!
Ken Kesey once said, “Come on man, you’re either on the bus or you’re not”
And now, this is how we manage companies!
It’s OK if we don’t lose the true meaning of the simple things.
I’ve spent a lifetime in business treating people the way I’d like to be treated.
Today, it’s the same story with a lost and different twist.
Narcissists have taken control; it’s time we kill them with kindness, rich content and a smile.
We’re better than that, maybe a lot poorer, worried and taking it one day at a time.
Let’s also remember, we’re better mentors for the real good that lives in all of us.
Something about age, wisdom, and experience that only makes sense to those who have it, share it willingly, and expect nothing in return, keeps us moving forward.
We’ve lived through the early eighties, tough, tough, times.
Early seventies…..Those damn Japaneese were selling cars here.
The sixties…..We were too busy absorbing.
And I, for one, am glad we did!
Pass on what we know to be true
You can’t change the truth
Treat people well and the world will be there waiting……
Keep up the good work
Some of the best songs ever written were about trains and conductors.
John
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Mr. Buttry
As someone who was downsized out of the Gazette family in 2003, I can definitely relate with the 13 people that you let go this week. And I use the word ‘family’ because that is truly how it was back then.
I didn’t stay down long, and I can guarantee you that my former colleague and very good friend will also bounce back from this travesty, in my humble opinion.
I just hope the people of Eastern Iowa will still receive one of the best sports sections, because they deserve it.
Because Mr. Conductor, you have severly hurt your information and content.
Best of luck.
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[…] it before leaving work. I planned to attend, even if I had to go from my own pocket (and even if I’ve taken on a new role that doesn’t have editor in the title). […]
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I would like to say that it’s sometimes hard to believe that you are really concerned with being fresh and current, and that accuracy is important to you, when you and your employees have time to twitter, but many parts of your site are not kept updated. And, you say you want reeder feedback, but even contact lists are very out of date,
I think it’s VERY important that you maintain all your web content and that it is always updated and accurate. I sould not hire someone to mow my lawn if their lawn was an unkempt mess…and I want my news delivery site to be current.
Talking the talk is easy. Now Walk the walk.
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[…] I announced Tuesday night in my blog, my new title is Information Content Conductor. I won’t repeat here the explanation I gave in the blog for the title. But here’s the […]
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Valid criticism, DailyReader. We are working on upgrades to our web site and appreciate the criticism.
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Dear Steve,
Congratulations on your new title and brave work at the Gazette. It is thrilling to following your innovative thoughts and actions for the industry.
Hang in there, Sarah
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[…] content conductor, which isn’t the same as editor or as any role in any media organization. (I explained that new role last week in my blog and will write more about it later in the column and […]
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[…] Gazette Communication’s Information Content Conductor Steve Buttry (in short, my boss) posed a question at the end of his March 23 column regarding the […]
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[…] named Project Unbolt. I proudly worked for TBD. I let my CEO change my title from editor to information content conductor (thankfully, Editor & Publisher went old-school in recognizing me as Editor of the Year). I get […]
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