PAFET [Partners Affiliated for Exploring Technology]

In 1994 six media companies [mostly a bunch of newspaper companies] created a research consortium to learn about and evaluate technology that could impact media and support the creation of new businesses and services. The companies were:

A. H. Belo Corporation, Dallas
Central Newspapers, Inc. , Phoenix
Cowles Media Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Freedom Communications, Inc., Irvine, California
McClatchy Newspapers, Inc., Sacramento, California
Pulitzer Publishing Company, St Louis, Missouri

I served on the operating committee — these were the folks who ran or influenced media ventures at their organizations. Because PAFET eventually faded away and the media industry consolidated and contracted, I thought, from a historical perspective, it would be helpful to share some of the files from this venture.

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October 19, 1993

Founding Memos for PAFET

The technology consortium was the brainchild of James Rosse, chief executive officer of Freedom Newspapers, which owned the Orange County Register. His idea, which he pitched to fellow CEOs, was to gather similar sized organizations to discuss and share information about the technology that was affecting the newspaper industry. The first meeting of this yet-to-be-named organization was on Nov. 8, 1993 at Freedom Newspapers' office in Irvine, CA.

March 18, 1994

Media Companies Launch Consortium

This is the official launch of PAFET, Partners Affiliated for Exploring Technology. It was a consortium that hoped that by exploring technology together, these companies would benefit from shared knowledge in the creation of new businesses and/or services.

June 9, 1994

Agenda and Plans for PAFET

This is a memo to the PAFET management committee, the group that oversaw the work of the operating committee [the real workers in the PAFET universe]. The meeting was held in St. Louis, headquarters of Pulitzer Newspapers. Here's the agenda:

PAFET Review of Media Landscape, 1994

The PAFET Operating Committee had several tasks. The most important was to keep the Strategic Committee, i.e. the Big Bosses, abreast of technology and changes in the media landscape. One of the tools we used was a report [monthly at times] that could be distributed across various "C Suites" and lower in an organization. Here's what I wrote about the first edition:

March 1, 1995

1995 Online Service Research Study

In early 1995, PAFET conducted a consumer online market research survey to establish baseline information in order to measure the development of the consumer online market. This document summarizes the goals, approach and results of that study.