i-Pad and communications technology

I recall working in journalism 10 years ago. The year 2000. The new millennium.

People were convinced that communications technologies were extremely advanced. We had e-mail and Internet access. I had a laptop at work. Digital cameras were becoming the norm.

Needless to say, things have changed a great deal in the last 10 years. The world of communications continues to evolve rapidly. Here in 2010, blogs are commonplace, and even established mainstream journalists keep online journals or blogs in addition to their primary work. Facebook not only connects old high school pals, but is an expected part of political campaigns and just about any kind of marketing. The Twitter phenomenon mystifies some, but is increasingly popular (Sarah Palin’s “tweats” make headline news in print and TV, for example). The Blackberry and iPhone....on and on.

With today's announcement about the new Apple iPad -- http://www.apple.com/ipad/ -- folks are trying to predict how journalism might be affected. Perhaps that's another topic for another time, but those of us with a journalism background are certainly following changes in the industry. If the iPad, or some future product, enables newspapers to create a "pay wall" for their content, then maybe there's more hope for traditional journalism than many think. And, of course, this will have implications for those working in the communications and marketing business.

In any case, the way individuals, business, governments, and other organizations communicate involves tools, technology, and terminology that those of us in the field hadn’t even contemplated in the year 2000. And all this brings opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, it’s increasingly important to have a savvy approach to online resources. But, at the same time, there’s more to it than having a slick-looking Web site or a Facebook page with lots of “friends.”

A serious message and a sound strategy are still key. Regardless of the platform or media channel, good writing still matters. Will and I are doing our best to stay on top of the cutting edge side of the communications business without losing sight of the tried-and-true.