I run another blog that some might call hyperlocal. It deals specifically with Polk County, FL. Much of what I post are small items that would be overlooked by the traditional media in our area. But there will always be a need for journalists. Perhaps not in the current business model of newspapers, TV and radio, but the profession is needed.

While I try my best to 'report' on my other blog, many of the items are what I call 'lazy journalism'. Take a recent example. I posted about a local political issue that is going on. In typical blog style I summarized and linked-up all the relevant information and offered some opinion. At the end I posed a few questions. Now the power of blogs is that others can help contribute to the story and perhaps answer my questions (or maybe not).

As I mentioned in the post, I don't have the capabilities (and the time) to do an extensive investigative report, i.e. calling around to county and city offices to find out additional information. That's something that journalists do all the time and they have an extensive network of contacts and resources to get things like this done.

What will the future business model be? It's apparent that the traditional models need to change.

In the case of my 'lazy journalism' will something like Jay Rosen's NewAssignment.net be a solution?

At New Assignment, pros and amateurs cooperate to produce work that neither could manage alone. The site uses open source methods to develop good assignments and help bring them to completion. It pays professional journalists to carry the project home and set high standards; they work closely with users who have something to contribute. The betting is that (some) people will donate to stories they can see are going to be great because the open methods allow for that glimpse ahead.

With New Assignment I could post the question and then let a professional journalist take over, perhaps helping them in the process.

Will a collaborative newsroom like Media General runs in Tampa work? Over in Tampa the Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and WFLA Channel 8 all share the same space. I imagine there is a bit of redundancy in some of the positions so the staff could be reduced and still provide a good mix of coverage.

Will Reporter 2.0, i.e. the new breed of reporter that combines all the best traits of print journalism with a video/web skill-set take over?

In any case it's an exciting and painful time in the traditional newspaper business. I have a few young friends that are working during this time of change and I think they're generally excited about what is coming. Do their older editors share the same excitement? I don't think so.

With all the emphasis that is being placed upon new media and other types of collaborative journalism many old-gaurd editors are behind the learning curve. I always refer back to something I posted in 2005:

If these editors or publishers were interviewing for their jobs now, they would not be hired.

How is it they still have their jobs then?