The essential ingredient in the recipe of any entity’s evolution is its ability to adapt to change. While the newspaper industry may be behind this curve in certain cases, others have morphed into multi-platform news outlets, rising to the demand of audiences with compelling offerings. USA Today‘s ongoing transformation of its format and coverage has brought both fresh and seasoned faces to the fold, not the least of which is its new media industry editor as of July 2013, Rem Rieder.
Rieder’s career spans several high profile news outlets, including The Washington Post, The Miami Herald and Milwaukee Journal, prior to its merger into the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More recently, he served for two decades as editor and senior vice president of American Journalism Review, both writing about the media industry he loves and educating students at the publication’s University of Maryland home.
The media industry beat has allowed Rieder to cover a range of subjects since he started writing a column for USA Today’s Money section last December, and offers him no shortage of subject matter.
“The first week was amazing. I wrote about coverage of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case, the controversial Rolling Stone cover about the Boston Marathon massacre suspect, the pros and cons of Twitter(I’m pro), Bradley Manning and Nate Silver. Quite a range!” he said.
The pace will likely remain hectic, as media enterprises continue to create headlines themselves. Rieder is readily aware of this. “The challenge will be writing about and assigning stories about, not to mention staying on top of, the key issues in the fascinating story that is the evolution of the media in the digital age,” he said.
Rieder’s experiential range lends a balanced perspective on the ubiquitous topic of social media in journalism. He acknowledges its impact in the widening of audiences through sharing content, as well as the newsgathering tools it adds to a journalist’s skill set, though he does caution careful use. The story Rieder refers to is perhaps only in its early chapters, as he speaks to the digital transition of journalism and its implications, showing that adaptability knows no level of experience.
“Clearly, everyone has to be digitally focused if they are to survive and thrive. I think charging for digital content, while it came way too late, was an important step forward. But that means you have to have content worth paying for, and too many newspapers cut too deeply to meet that threshold. The key, though, is the journalism, not the platform,” he explained.
That key to journalism is best embodied by concept of The Fourth Estate, or fourth arm of the government classically characterized by the news media is a duty that Rieder is ever aware of despite the industry’s changes.
“Journalism, good journalism, powerful journalism, is crucial to a free society. To thrive, it’s essential to be quick off the mark, to give consumers incisive coverage when a story is hot. But what really makes the difference is in-depth coverage, enterprise coverage, investigative reporting, compelling material you just can’t find anywhere else. I believe that the leadership of USA Today is committed to both. That’s why I’m here.”
Offering further insight into Rieder’s entrance, USA Today editor in chief David Callaway also spoke to the outlet’s increased coverage of media influencers.
“Rem offers an important link between the authority and impact journalism of the great papers he worked for and the urgency and reach of today’s digital media,” Callaway said. “He is at once a great columnist, masterful editor, and a teacher of young journalists. The media beat means pretty much everything these days, as the Web makes every company a media company and everybody a potential media personality, so I foresee him having a very large role here as things develop. Plus, he’s a great guy.”
Rieder is certainly educated on all sides of the field as an experienced media professor as well as a journalist, and imparts matter-of-fact wisdom to anyone pursuing this field.
“Go for it. Don’t listen to the whining. It’s a fascinating time to enter the field. So much is possible. But be really flexible. Don’t fixate on one particular medium or platform or position. Be really versatile. And be cool about working long and hard. Journalism has never been for the fainthearted, but in today’s 24/7 world, as the great Neil Young would say, rust never sleeps.”
Indeed, Rieder’s invocation of the classic rock god exhibits his unique mix of young-eyed enthusiasm informed by a grasp of classic journalistic tenets only an industry vet with adaptable adroitness can attain, immediately evident when I asked if he had anything else to add, to which he responded, “Dude! This isn’t enough? Have mercy on the poor audience!”
Pitching Tips
Rieder is open to receiving story pitches and press releases relevant to media industry news coverage and commentary via email, though commanding his attention is vital. He simply offers, “Email, don’t call. Convince me quickly that you have something interesting and valuable.”
Follow USA Today at @USATODAY and Rieder at @remrieder.
