President's Column - Be Careful Out There...

By Laura Walcher

Change, change, change... if it’s not one print publication shrinking its size and coverage, it’s a television station narrowing staff to combine reporters and videographers. If it’s not PR people scratching their heads trying to figure out how to help clients reach their markets vis-à-vis fragmented media and a deluge of web opportunities, it’s radio stations bagging long-held formats for national - and highly uncivil - talk - show hosts.

That’s how this year’s been for the Press Club and its members - uneasy. But, I thank you just the same. We’ve hung and held together quite nicely. Seasoned media continue their commitment to excellent journalism - like Mark Sauer’s September news feature (Union-Tribune), “Generals Opposing Iraq War Break with Military Tradition.” - a story idea, he said, “nearly two years brewing.” (Read more of Mark’s experience elsewhere in this issue.) Newbies like VoiceofSanDiego and BIZSan Diego reinforce the continuing fulfillment of the profession to provide democracy’s need for information and objectivity - and what Al Gore calls the need for “two way conversation” in The Assault on Reason.

Thank you for upholding your own professionalism - and I say that as we recognize and congratulate NBC 7/39’s Phyllis Schwartz, long the GM and president of the station, now promoted to Exec. VP, News, Promotion and Original Content for NBC Universal TV Stations. “She’s the right leader to oversee our news and promotion efforts, strengthening the communication across our division and ensuring that our local content remains relevant and valuable to our consumers in today’s media environment,” said John Wallace, President NBC Universal Television stations.

Ms. Schwartz has succeeded in staying on the edge of television innovation: she’s led the station’s move to its current downtown site, replete with glass-enclosed, streetside studio. She’s overseen new programs such as Streetside San Diego and About San Diego. In 2005 she launched Mi San Diego TV 43, and just recently converted that project into NBC 7/39 by creating the market’s first Spanish language newscast with English captioning, Noticias Mi San Diego, at 4:00 p.m.

We look forward to the Press Club’s Journalism Awards on Thursday, November 7 at Chuey’s. Under Chuck Fox’ imaginative leadership, it promises to be - well, a blast.

That event will also mark the end of my tenure - and I also thank you for that, the privilege of leading an honorable body of journalists and publicists (the yin and yang of media), and the pleasure of a dedicated and enthusiastic board of directors. Our year’s been pretty doggone good; ideas and plans are in the works for more and better.

Stand by, pay your dues, embrace the changes - and be careful out there.

Posted Oct. 2007