Monday, February 05, 2007

inaugural coffee morning
Thanks to Sam Karp for organizing the coffee morning at Midtown in Eugene. The idea is inspired by the Portland group that meets to share thoughts. Our group is currently dominated by U of O Journalism School graduates but open to others.

It is interesting for me to be around so many J School grads. I actually know quite a few outside the Coffee Morning group. I would have thought that the Journalists would be focused on Journalism but marketing and pop culture seem to be the interest. Joe Leary calls it Hybrid Ed. Perhaps the changing environment for journalism jobs is forcing journalists to become more entrepreneurial. Local newspapers are disappearing and the ones that still exist are more dependent on AP stories. But also our corporate culture increasingly values the creative class. So new opportunities are opening for people with journalistic skills. My outsiders idea of a journalism doesn't fit the reality. The role of journalist has changed.

Next coffee morning will be Friday Feb 9 at 9:30 a.m., Midtown Marketplace (formerly Triomphe Bistro) 1591 Willamette St. (in the back section near the fireplace). See you there.

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