Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Lately, change has been the constant theme of my life. As I help our daughter pack for her freshman year of college, I feel nostalgic sadness mixed with excitement. My husband, Mike, and I look forward to an empty nest and doing more traveling together, and we're sad but thrilled to see her step out into the world. Change can be refreshing and exhilarating, but it sometimes feels like a ninja warrior competition.
Our business life also transformed in the past couple of years. This week, nearly two years ago, Mike and I prepared to take the reins of this 140-year-old publication. I've spent those two years working with him to bring our readers this magazine, website, and digital products. And, we kept going as the pandemic brought many changes to all of our lives.
As we enter the next phase of E&P, it’s clear that change will continue to be a consistent theme. The late Max Depree, best known for his work as
CEO of the Herman Miller office furniture company, said, “In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” Here at E&P, I can almost hear a collective, “Duh!”
I'm sure you'll notice that we have changed the size of Editor and Publisher Magazine down to a smaller format after going to a much larger format with the January 2020 issue. Although we loved the look of the large design, we soon found that our damage rate with the USPS soared. In addition, our library partners were not excited about our larger size, and they let us know it. It became clear that the smaller format magazine was a better choice. However, in addition to going smaller, we are also adding pages and content beginning this month. In upcoming issues, you'll see new columns, refreshing content and the reinstatement of our Comments column to give you a voice in our publication.
Our feature stories this month all touch on the theme of change. Our cover story highlights one of the most significant changes to the news publishing industry in recent months – the takeover of Tribune Publishing by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital. This article details the changes occurring for Tribune Publishing and what those changes could mean for our industry as a whole.
We are also highlighting the return of Live Conferences, both in-person and virtual. With the continuing pandemic and surging Delta virus numbers, live conferences may seem contraindicative. Still, you will read about how the various conference organizers, publishers and vendors are navigating the conference scene in 2021.
Finally, our second class of “15
Over 50” industry leaders address the changes they have seen in the news media industry during their illustrious careers. Reading their submissions and nominations reminded me of the accelerated change in our news, newsrooms and media. However, one thing hasn’t changed in this group– their inspiring determination to continue innovating, persevering and serving their communities is at the heart of all they do.
At E&P, we're privileged to talk about the industry changes and those who endeavor to bring journalistic excellence to your communities every day. So, in closing, Mike and I invite your comments – good or bad – about every aspect of E&P. We can only change for the better with your support.