“Memos, Presentations” Items

South China Morning Post Workshops, 1994

In 1994, I was invited by the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong to lead a series of visual editing workshops for the newspaper’s editorial and design staff. The sessions were designed to support stronger newsroom decision-making around visual journalism, and to help the staff explore how design intersects with ethics, credibility, and readability.

The first session opened with an overview of the seminar’s goals, which included addressing the challenge of serving readers more effectively—both in the present and as the media landscape evolved. We discussed readership issues and explored how international examples and “eye-track” studies could be applied to improve layout and communication. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of readership studies—not just as data, but as a way to understand how visual choices shape reader behavior and trust. These insights helped frame our approach to content hierarchy, engagement strategies, and evaluating layout effectiveness.

The presentation then turned to how design begins at the conceptual level, touching on topics like content hierarchy, the needs of different reader types, and the essential design elements: headlines, stories, images, color, and graphics.

The afternoon session examined how design choices unify a publication’s identity and meet the needs of its audience. We discussed how color is used in newspapers to set tone, reviewed industry examples, and explored how photography functions as a universal language for both readers and editors. A section on photo usage emphasized effective cropping, sizing, and placement.

The second day began with a discussion of how newspapers handle big stories, including both major and everyday events. We looked at strategies for using photos and graphics to support reader understanding. The conversation then moved into infographics, with a breakdown of functional types such as maps, charts, and diagrams. We emphasized that information—not decoration—should drive design choices, and reviewed common pitfalls like zero-base and time-shift problems.

The final session addressed SCMP’s competitive landscape, with specific reference to the Eastern Express, a sister publication within the SCMP group. While not a traditional external competitor, the Eastern Express offered a contrasting editorial and visual approach. We explored what SCMP could learn from its design strategies and editorial presentation. The discussion also turned to how newspapers were adapting to emerging digital formats, including fax, online services, and audio platforms. I offered a summary of the changing newsroom environment and how editorial roles were evolving alongside it. The workshop concluded with critiques of SCMP page designs and a group discussion.

The workshop structure combined lecture, conversation, and critique, centered on SCMP’s real-world challenges.

Other Materials

Participants were also given supporting handouts during the sessions. One of the key documents was titled “The Role of Newspaper Visuals”, which served as a summary of concepts explored in the seminar. It focused on the function of visuals in shaping editorial credibility, organizing content, and enhancing reader engagement.

Additional handouts distributed during the seminar included a one-page list titled “Thoughts About Newspaper Design,” which outlined guiding principles such as clarity, consistency, and audience-focused layout. Another reference sheet titled “Checklist for a Well-Designed Page” offered a concise set of evaluation points for assessing visual coherence, entry points, typography, and image use. These tools were intended to reinforce key ideas from the sessions and offer practical frameworks for daily design decisions.

Other handouts included a set of Guidelines for Handling Color, which outlined principles for consistent and meaningful color usage across editorial pages. These were paired with a Checklist for Color Usage designed to help designers evaluate when and how color supports the story, rather than distracts from it.

A separate handout titled “Effective Use of Informational Graphics” provided tips for planning and executing infographics with clarity and relevance. It emphasized that graphics should serve a storytelling purpose, be easy to interpret, and be rooted in accurate, meaningful data.

The final handout, titled “From Pages to PC Screen,” provided a short summary of emerging digital delivery formats.

Generated by AI, Edited by Human

Related Posts
  • Newspaper Design in Transition (ASNE, 1995)
    A presentation delivered at the 1995 ASNE convention exploring modular layout, functional design, and how reader expectations were reshaping visual priorities.
  • Visual Editing: Textbook Reference
    Used as a conceptual foundation in the SCMP workshops, this reference provided guidance on the role of editors, structure of the news page, and visual decision-making.

AI Assisted Writing; Edited by Human

Becoming a Better Online Editor, 2006

Presented at Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor
Knight New Media Center, October 2006

Generated by AI, Edited by Human

This presentation by Howard Finberg, then Director of Interactive Learning at The Poynter Institute, addressed the challenges of online journalism in a real-time environment. The focus was on ethical judgment, editorial roles, and the structural change necessary to support online decision-making.

The guiding idea: “Our real product is credibility.”

Slide-by-Slide Summary of Core Points
Journalism’s True Business
  • Begins with the question: “What business are we in?”
  • Answer: Not news, but credibility—the audience must trust the institution.
Public Expectations and Perceptions
  • Addresses the decline in public trust in journalism.
  • Readers expect speed and accuracy; failure in either undermines credibility.
Ethical Decision-Making in Real Time
  • Introduces the Online Credibility Gap.
  • Highlights the lack of established ethical norms in digital contexts.
  • Asks: “What are the rules online?”
Transparency and Corrections
  • Credibility requires visible corrections and transparent changes.
  • Encourages editors to avoid stealth editing or deletion without accountability.
Accountability and Structure
  • Notes that online editorial decisions are often made without authority or oversight.
  • Calls for clear delegation and training in ethical digital decision-making.
Organizational Alignment
  • Stresses that newsroom behavior online must align with institutional values.
  • Users judge the brand based on online actions, not just published mission statements.
Avoiding Legacy Thinking
  • Warns against asking old questions with new words.
  • Urges editors to develop entirely new frameworks for the digital environment.
Facilitating Ethical Culture
  • Editors should model ethical behavior, coach their teams, and create systemic support for digital ethics.
  • Online editing is not just technical—it is ethical leadership in real time.

The core message remains durable:

“Speed and reach do not eliminate responsibility—they amplify it.”

 

Related Posts

Classified Advertising: IFRA 2000

Presented at IFRA’s Beyond the Printed Word conference, 2000. In Amsterdam
Generated by AI, Edited by Human

In his 2000 presentation at IFRA, Howard Finberg posed a provocative challenge to the newspaper industry: Would online classifieds cannibalize existing revenue—or spark new growth?

Titled “Classifieds: Cannibalism or Growth Impetus,” the presentation offered a strategic lens through which newspaper leaders could reimagine their approach to classified advertising in the digital age.

We Need to Ask New Questions

A major theme of the talk was that the industry’s framing of digital as a threat had limited innovation.

“We need to ask new questions—not just how to protect our print classifieds, but how to meet new needs, with new tools, in new ways.”

Finberg emphasized that sticking to legacy assumptions—about products, readers, or revenue streams—would leave newspapers ill-equipped to respond to fundamental market shifts.

Digital as a Growth Platform

Rather than view digital classifieds as a problem, Finberg argued they could be a platform for innovation. Features like self-service listings, immediate publishing, and searchable databases made online classifieds far more user-centric than their print counterparts.

…Point of Linkage

In a slide titled …Point of Linkage, Finberg made a critical argument: that online classifieds should not simply replicate print listings, but connect users to solutions.

“We’re not in the business of selling columns of type—we’re in the business of linking buyers and sellers.”

This redefinition of purpose—from publishing ads to solving problems—signaled the need for newspapers to retool everything from design to internal structure.

Strategic Takeaways
  • Digital and print must be treated as complementary but distinct
  • Usability and customer control are essential
  • Classifieds should be treated as products, not just sections
  • Innovation requires separating digital from legacy constraints
2025 Retrospective

From today’s vantage point, Finberg’s IFRA presentation stands out as both visionary and urgent. Many newspapers failed to act on his insights, and as a result, lost a dominant revenue stream to faster-moving digital competitors.

His insistence on asking new questions, focusing on user value, and treating classifieds as dynamic, product-driven platforms was more than strategic advice—it was a call for cultural transformation. The presentation made clear that the real danger wasn’t cannibalization—it was stagnation.

Finberg’s “Cannibalism or Growth Impetus” remains a case study in how industries can miss their moment—not from lack of foresight, but from fear of self-disruption.

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CNI’s Web Strategy Meeting, 1999

Generated by AI, Edited by Human

The March 15, 1999 memo titled “Web Strategy: Steering Committee Working Draft” was prepared for Central Newspapers, Inc. (CNI). It outlines a proposed strategic framework for how CNI should develop and manage its web presence across its various newspapers.

Key elements of the document include:

  • Need for Strategy and Coordination: Recognizing the fragmented and inconsistent web efforts across CNI properties, the memo proposes the creation of a Web Steering Committee to guide future development and unify strategy.

  • Editorial Control and Brand Integrity: Emphasis is placed on maintaining editorial standards and protecting the credibility of CNI’s newspaper brands online. The document highlights the importance of balancing innovation with journalistic values.

  • Business Goals: The memo acknowledges the growing commercial importance of the web and recommends that online efforts be aligned with broader business strategies, including advertising and revenue models.

  • Technology and Staffing: It notes the need for investment in technical infrastructure, training, and possibly new staff roles to support digital operations effectively.

  • Shared Resources and Collaboration: Proposes that CNI newspapers share best practices and technical solutions to avoid duplication of effort and benefit from economies of scale.

This draft represents an early, structured attempt by a traditional newspaper group to grapple with the implications of the digital transition, both operationally and editorially.

Retrospective (From 2025)

Looking back from 2025, this 1999 memo reads as a snapshot of a legacy media company at the edge of digital transformation. It captures the moment when the internet shifted from an experimental add-on to a core business and editorial concern.

While the memo does not predict the scale or speed of disruption that would follow—especially the impact of mobile, social media, and platform-driven distribution—it reveals a strong awareness that digital would require structural and cultural change. The idea of a centralized steering committee to shape digital policy foreshadows modern media governance models around digital ethics, product integration, and content monetization.

Ultimately, this document illustrates how media organizations like CNI were beginning to rethink their identity—not just as print publishers, but as multi-platform content providers. It’s a foundational artifact of journalism’s transition into the 21st century.

Traveler’s Gazette Fax Experiment, 1995

Some times it was fun to experiment.  In 1995, Phoenix Newspapers created a fax publication call the Traveler’s Gazette. The fax was sent to hotels that partnered with the paper. The hotel would copy the fax and distribute it.  The purpose of the two-page publication was to help visitors have a better time and provide a way for advertisers to reach those consumers.

Of course, this was also about the time that online would start to grow so the experiment was just that.

The benefit that the project provide was simple — an opportunity to think about serving a market outside of the newspaper readership.  The project was the idea of Dave Gianelli.  Dave and I worked on a number of new media projects during the late 1990s.

The Traveler’s Gazette was low-tech innovation that would help lay the groundwork for AzCentral’s launch later that year, as Phoenix Newspapers explored more scalable, digital ways to reach new audiences. The focus on travel was one of the early pillars of AzCentral. It’s online area for visitors to Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun was very robust.

I sent a copy of the Traveler’s Gazette to Randy Bennett, the Newspaper Association of America’s new media director.

Here’s a part of what I wrote.

This publication is sent to PNI’s hotel “partners” (current count is more than 30) six days a week early each morning. PNI considers the Traveler’s Gazette to be the essential two-page guide to events and activities in the Valley. Much of the material is pulled from existing resources within the newsroom and assembled by clerks.

One example of an advertiser was a real estate company targeting those visitors who might want to move to the area.

Driving Web to Print

At the 2002 IFRA Asia Conference in Bangkok (held March 20–22, 2002), I presented findings from a research project close to my heart—one that explored how newspapers could actually increase print subscriptions using their websites. Yes, increase. At the time, this idea ran counter to the conventional wisdom that digital only eroded print. [This AI-generated summary is drawn my presentation slides.]

The project was a collaboration between my consultancy, Finberg-Gentry, and a number of forward-thinking circulation and online leaders across the industry. Our research included:

  • Over 100 site reviews
  • 290 responses from circulation managers
  • And dozens of in-depth interviews with media professionals

We asked a simple but often overlooked question: What if the web could help sell the newspaper?

What we found was encouraging—and revealing.

Some newspapers were already leveraging their digital platforms to drive subscriptions, but these successes had something in common: cooperation. When online and circulation teams worked together, when they shared goals and data, the results followed.

Unfortunately, that kind of collaboration was rare. Too often, subscription links were hidden “below the fold.” Technology systems didn’t talk to each other. Customer data wasn’t shared. And the user experience—especially for signing up or managing delivery—was clunky at best.

We identified several key challenges:

  • Most newspapers didn’t have an integrated system for online and print circulation.

  • Subscription buttons were buried or mislabeled—making it hard for users to take action.

  • Only 15% of papers offered web-exclusive pricing.

  • Many didn’t even allow basic customer service functions—like stopping or holding delivery—online.

But there were bright spots.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune used contests to generate over 6,000 subscription orders a year. The Poughkeepsie Journal tracked retention of web-generated subscriptions and found they performed just as well—if not better—than other channels. The Houston Chronicle developed a user-friendly online service center that set a new standard for self-service.

What all these examples showed was that technology and strategy must go hand-in-hand. We couldn’t just slap a “Subscribe” link on a site and hope it worked. We needed to design digital experiences that respected what users had come to expect—speed, convenience, clarity—and we needed to do it without forgetting the power and value of the printed product.

In the end, my presentation message was simple: web and print aren’t rivals—they’re partners. But partnership requires intent. It requires shared ownership. And, perhaps most importantly, it requires that we stop thinking in silos.

The opportunity for newspapers to increase their audiences across platforms is still very real. But it’s up to us to build the systems, culture, and customer experiences to make it happen. The full report is available on this site.

Digital Credibility, IFRA Presentation

In my 2002 presentation at the IFRA Asia Conference, held in Bangkok, I addressed the critical topic of credibility in online journalism, highlighting its significant impact on media brands and their audiences. As Managing Director of the Digital Futurist Consultancy, I shared insights from the Digital Journalism Credibility Study, sponsored by the Online News Association and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. [This AI-generated summary is drawn my presentation slides.]

In our research, we explored how consumers and media professionals perceive credibility online, identifying four key types of credibility:

1. Presumed Credibility: Assumptions based on domain names, web traffic, and update frequency.
2. Reputed Credibility: Influenced by third-party recommendations or references.
3. Surface Credibility: Based on first impressions of a site’s professional appearance and navigability.
4. Experienced Credibility: Derived from ongoing user experience, ease of navigation, and perceived content accuracy.

Key insights from our survey revealed that the public had not yet firmly decided on the credibility of online news, presenting an opportunity for media organizations to differentiate themselves through credible reporting practices. Factors such as accuracy, completeness, fairness, and timeliness strongly influence credibility perceptions. Additionally, I emphasized the essential need for a clear separation between editorial and advertising content to maintain consumer trust.

Ultimately, I concluded that the debate on digital credibility remains open, offering both challenges and opportunities for media companies aiming to establish or reinforce their reputation online. Credibility, I argued, is a business imperative in the evolving digital landscape.

The full report is on this site.

Impact of Technology on Newsrooms, 1993

In a forward-looking presentation at the Seybold Conference in San Francisco in 1993, I explore the transformational impact of digital technology on the newsroom. Speaking in 1993, at the dawn of the digital revolution, I emphasize that technological change isn’t just about adopting new tools—it’s about fundamentally rethinking how journalism is practiced, how newsrooms are structured, and how people work together. The shift to digital, I argue, is not just evolutionary but revolutionary.

Key Points

  • Circular Workflows: Traditional linear production is giving way to a more collaborative, integrated process where editing, design, and content development happen in tandem.

  • Hybrid Roles – The “One Journalist”: Roles are blending. Journalists increasingly need to be multi-skilled—handling editing, layout, design, and even multimedia (audio, video, fax).

  • Organizational Shifts: Old org charts no longer reflect reality. The focus is moving toward fluid, cross-functional teams rather than rigid editorial silos.

  • Technology = Fewer Machines, Bigger Changes: While digital tools reduce hardware needs and cut costs, they also force reevaluation of workflows and staffing.

  • Tech is About People: Choosing the right tools starts with understanding how people work and how tasks flow. The goal is to enable, not restrict.

  • Leadership Through Learning: Managers must lead by example—learning new tools themselves, supporting their teams, and helping leadership embrace change.

  • Evolution vs. Revolution: Recognizing the difference is key. Shifts like hot type to cold type are evolutionary. The move to digital production is revolutionary—and demands a new mindset.

The file is a PDF of the presentation slides.

Electronic Newspaper of the Future, 1992

One of the more innovative folks in the design universe was a professor from Spain, Dr. Juan A. Giner.  Giner was at the School of Journalism  at the University of Navarra. In 1992, he asked several folks for their thoughts about electronic newspapers.  This is before the Internet.  I think he was using some of the information for a research paper and for a presentation at the Summit Meeting of Editors and Publishers, a European conference, I’m guessing.

Here’s what I wrote, the conclusion of my thoughts, sent via FAX:

They have information to sell, regardless of the form it takes to reach the reader. Unfortunately, only a few see the road ahead; too many are looking behind at the road they have just traveled.

If the current leadership fails in understanding the market place or fails to adjust to the needs of the news consumer, then the consequences will be two-fold:

• Many more companies will go out of business.
• Many more companies will be bought by those who understand the needs of the marketplace and replace those publishers and editors who do not.

The future will belong to the quick and smart. Be neither quick nor smart and you’ll be out of the game.

It was fun to think about the future.

Constant Training: New Normal or Missed Opportunity

As part of the grant to The Poynter Institute for the creation and running of News University, an online training program, the Knight Foundation asked that we conduct studies as to how effective training was and better understand the training needs of journalists. One study was called “Constant Training” and it was based on a survey of newsrooms and journalists.  Here’s what I wrote in the introduction:

These results are from an anonymous survey of staff members from 31 newsrooms around the country conducted by The Poynter Institute on behalf of the Knight Foundation.

The survey was conducted in newsrooms that ranged in size from 20 to 150 staff members. More than 1,650 staff members were possible participants for the survey, which achieved a 72.5 percent response rate. The survey was conducted online in June-July 2014.

Is the glass two-thirds full? Or, more important to ask, is it one-third empty?

A third of the journalists in the survey [34 percent] said they received no training in the past 12 months. But the numbers varied widely in different newsrooms. While in some newsrooms, nearly everyone had gotten training, in one newsroom, only 17 percent reported receiving training. In six of the newsrooms, less than half of the staff members had received training. Considering the abundance of free or low-cost training available, those numbers seem strikingly high.

One of the key findings was the hunger journalists had for training.  However, then, as in now, time or the lack of time, was a key factor as whether journalists got the training they needed or wanted.

This raises the point that everyone, especially journalists, lives in a world of constant learning. Each new technology creates new opportunities and new challenges. Which create new openings for training. To be successful in the digital world, a journalist needs to embrace the idea of “constant training” to meet the changing demands of the workplace.

Other results from our training survey are more troubling.

Actually doing the training presents a significant problem. Lack of time was cited by 62 percent of the participants as the number-one factor that prevented them from getting the training they needed or wanted. That’s twice as many responses as lack of funds, the second-place factor, which was selected by 34 percent.

One final point involved the focus of newsrooms in 2014:

The survey also provides an unsettling insight into the focus of the newsrooms surveyed. The journalists surveyed still see their newsrooms as print-centric or straddling the fence. Only one in 10 said that their newsrooms are thoroughly
“digital-first.”

Eric Newton wrote the introduction to the report.