Comments on: What Google Wave taught me about travel writing

By: Outtanames999

Outtanames999 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:54:33 +0000

So many ironies at work here.

For one, at the risk of stating the obvious, most news has always come from PR. About 70% of “news” began as a press release issued by somebody. So what’s so new about that convergence?

All obsolete technologies become art forms. Thus we will hear more and more the lament about “good” journalism which will become increasingly extinct as citizen journalism takes over – at least for the next while. At some point, we’ll get fed up with it and the pendulum will swing back.

For another, as their business models crash, even the mainstream media are getting worse. Every day, a greater percentage of newspaper stories come from the wire services, not the paper’s own reporters. So much for “quality”. See how the lament works?

And for still another, as we end up with fewer journalists, they will have to work harder, but being the essentially “lazy” types that they are, they will come to rely even more on PR people who do the journalists job for them, often providing stories that are picked up word for word and put under the journalist’s byline.

At the end of the day though, good writing is good writing regardless of whence it cometh.

By: Jeremy Head

Jeremy Head — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:51:27 +0000

PS: It was indeed a good post… but being a Brit, it didn’t move me to tears!

By: Jeremy Head

Jeremy Head — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:50:27 +0000

I don’t know that I agree totally about the blurring distinction between say a press release and a piece of journalism. As a journo myself I get inundated with press releases – and 95% of them are blatantly pushing a product. Convergence is taking place – and the way companies are introducting corporate blogs is a great example of that. But it will be some time yet before the vast majority of PR people really ‘get’ communicating directly with customers rather remorselessly pushing product at the media. I’ve blogged myself a lot about the way that the net is changing the way travel writers earn a living – but there’s a similar quantum shift taking place in PR too.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:58:34 +0000

Great post, Chris. The day of the gatekeeper (whether it’s an editor OR a PR person “spinning”) is over. Good PR people recognize that we can’t simply push a single product – on editors or consumers. Equally, good product managers recognize that they can’t simply post marketing copy to a blog and expect customers to respect it. Tansparency has become paramount and PR people, brand managers, editors, bloggers, are relinquishing control (if we’re smart). Elliott.org is a good example in reverse. I’d content that although you, Chris, are a respected journalist, the blog has become a community not just for that reason, but because you’re transparent and real and demand the same from the brands you talk about. THAT carries more weight than a title – blogger or editor or whatever one might be “sniffing” at.

By: Paula Berg

Paula Berg — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:43:25 +0000

Chris – this article is so beautiful, it made me want to cry. I think you really captured the spirit of the evolving media space…from the consumer’s point of view. Then, if that wasn’t enough…you described our blog as “compelling.” Day = Made.

Can’t wait to get my Google Wave invitation…

Paula Berg
Southwest Airlines

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:32:30 +0000

Great piece Chris!

It is indeed a strange time for news and where people get their information about travel. As a travel writer, I find both travel magazines & newspapers just as interesting and informative as smaller and lesser known travel bloggers.

Bottom line is that if the source can provide me with what I need, can write properly, and provide the pertinent details I need, then it is a good source for yours truly.

Best,
Andrew
TheBrooklynNomad.com

By: links for 2009-10-13 : The ChipCast || by Chip Mahaney

links for 2009-10-13 : The ChipCast || by Chip Mahaney — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:06:45 +0000

[...] What Google Wave taught me about travel writing (tags: googlewave future blogging journalism) [...]

By: David Sanger

David Sanger — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:32:38 +0000

Chris: You say “Wave is something of a metaphor for the changes taking place in journalism, and specifically in travel writing.” and the discussion has been solely about changes in travel writing.

As for Wave itself as a tool, have you actually tried? Do you think it has any promise for collaborative preparation of stories/multimedia pieces?

Perhaps it would be worth starting a travel writing Wave to see how it would work. I did that with photography, but the Wave now has over 350 members and has become unwieldy; fewer members is obviously better and collaboration is one of the advertised advantages,

davidsanger@googlewave.com

By: Jarrad Malamed

Jarrad Malamed — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:55:57 +0000

Love your blog, and if you have any more google wave invites…I would very much appreciate it? Thanks so much – Jarrad Jarradm@gmail.com

By: links for 2009-10-13 «

links for 2009-10-13 « — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:30:23 +0000

[...] What Google Wave taught me about travel writing [...]

By: Sheila Scarborough

Sheila Scarborough — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:25:43 +0000

I have less and less patience (and my sympathy well is also drying up) when it comes to the “sniffers.” People either start getting their heads around this stuff or they’re gonna get their professional clocks cleaned.

And that’s the way it is….

I have a hard time enjoying pure “writing conferences” anymore because many of the attendees don’t have any sense of curiosity or excitement about the Web’s potential for their craft. I’d rather go to a geek/tech conference where they understand communicating (and some of them are pretty doggone good text writers, too.)

By: Les

Les — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:55:18 +0000

Don’s posting above is significant. To me it says that Google has fully abandoned its “Don’t Be Evil” (?) motto.

It also suggests that the opportunity to publish and the chance of earning a living from your writing have also parted company.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:58:55 +0000

Thankfully, I am no longer at the mercy of newspaper & magazine travel editors; the majority of them wouldn’t give me the time of day and now the tide has turned. With the limitless traveling writing outlets on the web, my articles are accepted and published.

Out of all the newspaper editors whom I contacted, I must admit that the LA Times was always courteous and responsive. The worst two: the Sun-Sentinel travel editor in Ft. Lauderdale and the Star-Ledger’s travel editor in NJ.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:28:25 +0000

I hink the key point that matters to me is the motivation of the writer. If someone is being paid to write about a product, service or company, I want to know that and will filter that into my response to the comments. If someone is a PR person blogging about an industry she focuses on, I want to know if she is writing about her client or about her client’s competitors. But if she’s observing the industry from an inside perspective and she has interesting insights, there’s value.

By: Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:18:39 +0000

@Millie, thanks. I think you were one of only a few editors who “got it” and understood that we were headed into uncharted territory, which is exactly where we now find ourselves. And sooner than any of us thought.

These are strange times.